Ballarat City Council has made a site announcement a condition of extending the New South Wales-based company’s agreement, signed in February last year.

Cr John Philips said he was very keen to see a location for the $30 million Ballarat Livestock Selling Centre identified.

“I am encouraging them (Regional Infrastructure) to be pro-active in identifying a site and developing that site,” Cr Philips said.

At Wednesday night’s council meeting, Cr Philips moved a three-part motion, including that council require Regional Infrastructure to identify a viable site prior to any extension of their agreement.

He said the current agreement runs out next April but moved that council must review it 60 days prior, bringing the deadline back to February.

He also noted that, under the agreement, the BLSC was due to be operational by December next year.

“Millions of dollars is being lost at the current site. For people selling product in the saleyards, they aren’t able to market them in the best possible conditions.”

He said the concrete floor at the current Gillies Street site, plus stock being left outside in all sorts of conditions, often for up to 24 hours, also caused them to be devalued.

Regional Infrastructure director Garry Edwards said yesterday he had not yet been notified of the council’s decision and would reserve any comment until he had all the information in front of him.