By Corey Everitt
The unnamed party in close talks to buy the Lang Lang Proving Ground has reportedly pulled out, marking a significant setback for the future of the historic site.
In August, the Gazette revealed that the old Holden test site was looking close to being sold to an unknown party.
CBRE agent and former Bathurst champion Lee Holdsworth is leading the sale and said at the time that a single party was in the process of ‘due diligence’ and that further news will come in ‘early October’.
However, the news this month was not the kind anyone wanted to hear with Holdsworth saying the single party had ‘withdrawn’ their bid.
As the property remains on the market, the exact identity of the party involved and the reason for backing out are not revealed.
The proving ground is still on the market with the process now falling back to negotiations with multiple parties who expressed their interest in a renewed push early this year.
Holdsworth reiterated that the parties involved are interested in utilising the site’s existing facilities and said the aim of the sale remains to secure a buyer that works in the ‘council’s preference’ and ‘preserves the bushland’.
The Lang Lang Proving holds a long history in Australian motoring, albeit a mostly secret one as many iconic Holdens were first tested on those grounds.
Based on General Motors’ Milford Proving Ground in Michigan, but with variations to simulate Australia’s uniquely rough roads, it encompasses 877 hectares (2167 acres) of land just off Bass Highway.
With 44km of track, the sight includes many inclined test hills, paved and unpaved road networks, a skid pan, a 4WD area and its most striking feature; the 4.7km long, banked speed loop for high-speed testing.
