Angry protests from Kew and Kendall residents over the sale of the former Kew Visitor Information Centre spurred Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to announce last week it will take the centre off the market.

The heated exchange took place at a council information session at Camden Haven Golf Club at Kew on Thursday when more than 60 residents attended.

Kendall Community Centre secretary Janice De Rose was among those who voiced her thoughts.

The council-owned site was put on the market five months ago.

“A lot of residents were very angry about it [the sale], it spilled out very early-on,” Mrs De Rose said. “It was absolutely unanimous that we didn’t want them to sell it.”

Council administrator Neil Porter responded to the protests.

Mr Porter said he would put the sale on the agenda for the general manager and finance staff to review.

“I understand this is a sensitive issue for local residents who envisage utilising the building as a Visitors Information Centre,” he said on Friday. “And, for this reason I am prepared to re-visit the decision to sell the site.”

The building sits on a 660 square-metre block and, when sold, was expected to fetch about $250,000.

Kew resident Jason Bignell said he felt it was a good decision by council to hold off on the sale.

The centre closed in 2009, the same year a Pacific Highway bypass at Kew was completed.

“I think it’s a good result,” Mr Bignell said. “They need to wait until the community can have some input.

“It’s a good site and Kew as a whole is going through a period of change so we should wait.”

Mr Bignell is one of five members of a newly-formed group of Kew residents to liaise with council about the building’s future.

It was listed for sale in January.

Council’s group manager business services Rebecca Olsen said there had been a reasonable amount of interest in the property but nothing that had led to a sale.