The heritage-listed Slade House on the controversial Glennie Heights campus. Tenders for Slade close next Wednesday.

FIVE potential buyers for the controversial Slade Campus at Glennie Heights are in discussion with the Southern Downs Regional Council, the Daily News can reveal.

A council spokeswoman yesterday confirmed it had so far fielded one international enquiry, two from Brisbane, one from Victoria and one from a local party, since expressions of interest for the sale of the campus opened on February 3.

The defunct school was bought by the former Warwick Shire Council in 2007 for $3.65 million with a view to turning it into a tertiary education facility.

But so far plans for a Chinese pilot training school and an Indian medicine university have come to nought and with maintenance costs ongoing the current council decided to test the sale waters.

The spokeswoman would not elaborate on the identity of the interested parties – with expressions closing next Wednesday – but said council was “happy with the groups who have come forward so far”.

The news comes as local real estate agents question the decision by council to handle the marketing of Slade itself, rather than engage a professional agent.

Richard Thew of Harcourts Rural said he was concerned council’s lack of experience in the property arena could hamper its efforts to sell the 8.7 hectare site, which could be split into a variety of residential and commercial uses.

“As local agents with commercial property expertise we are able to use our contacts to present buyers and we have interstate and international publications we can use to advertise these kinds of properties,” Mr Thew said.

“If you’re selling a $4 million property – which presumably is what the council wants for it at least – you need to be looking at an advertising budget of 1%-2% of that.

“You also need strong internet exposure as your main market is going to be outside of Warwick – and you are hard-pressed to find any mention of Slade online.

“Without the proper exposure it’s really like trying to pin a tail on a donkey.”

Mr Thew said Harcourts had begun negotiating the sale of Slade to a Sydney client in 2007 before the former council jumped in and purchased it from the Anglican Church Grammar School.

“I just think local agents should have been given the chance to come on board, as we’re here trying to make a quid as well,” he said.

Rob Finlay of L.J. Hooker Warwick agreed, saying his own agency or its Brisbane-based commercial arm would have more property marketing experience than council.

“The council really ought to be at arm’s length from the marketing and sale process,” Mr Finlay said.

A council spokeswoman said they had called tenders for the marketing of the Slade sale last year but confirmed they had not approached local agents directly.

“Council only had one response from a national real estate marketing company and councillors felt the cost quoted – $45,000 for a national campaign plus commission – was very significant,” she said.

She said Slade was listed on the major commercial real estate websites via the For Sale For Lease web agent.

She declined to provide details of the Slade advertising budget but said it was “flexible”, depending on whether council would need to continue to do marketing after expressions of interest close next Wednesday.

Mayor Ron Bellingham said if no offers were received on Slade from the current process a national campaign would be considered.