'I've had people call me wanting to buy it': Kindy sale still on the cards

The City of Launceston council is seeking expressions of interest for the future use and potential sale of 56 Frederick Street, believed to be the oldest kindergarten or infant school in Australia.

Councillor Tim Walker tabled a notice of motion at the October 19 council meeting to halt that process, extend it to six weeks, and restart it without giving the council the option of selling the building.

Cr Walker said the building should remain in council hands, and become a space for all to use.

"We have an extremely significant building in Launceston, built by the people of Launceston, given by the people of Launceston to Launceston Council 136 years ago," he said.

"Let's create a community space. I'm not talking about malls and shopping centres or plazas in front of universities and things like that. I'm talking about significant public spaces that bring society together."

Only councillors Susie Cai, Joe Pentridge and George Razay joined Cr Walker in supporting the motion, and Crs Cai and Pentridge said community groups needed more time to develop use cases.

Responding to a question by Cr Pentridge, the mayor said no formal expressions of interest involving the sale of the property had been received.

However, he said there were people in Launceston interested in buying the building.

"We haven't received any expressions of interest, but that doesn't mean that we haven't had people ... expressing their interest," Cr Garwood said.

"I've had people call me wanting to buy it. I've had people call me that want to use it on a Tuesday afternoon only.

"There's been people interested, but there's been no expressions that have come through the process."

The mayor said he would not support Cr Walker's motion as seeking out all ideas would allow the council to make an informed choice and keep Launceston progressing to its "incredible, next, best self".

Councillor Danny Gibson did not support the motion as it was "superfluous", as the council was under no obligation to sell the building even if it received such an expression of interest.

Cr Gibson said community groups did not need fully-fleshed proposals at this stage.

"There is currently an opportunity for an expression of interest process that allows for first stage indications of what people could use the site for," he said.

"This doesn't require a 24-page fully developed proposal from nonprofit group one, philanthropic group two, or landcare group three, or bread provider four."

Councillor Alan Harris - who attended the school as a child - said councillors visited the building and saw it was in need of an overhaul, which might not happen unless it was sold to private enterprise.

"Interestingly, when we walked in there, and I walked out the back to the toilets, the toilets hadn't changed and they weren't very good in 1966," he said.

"It is a building that needs a lot of money spent on it, and it is money that Cr Walker's motion wishes to cut out.

"If I'm a not-for-profit, and I'm going to invest significant funds in a property that I don't own, I might not put my idea forward."

The expressions of interest period ends on November 3.