At Council's meeting next week the councillors will be asked that the General Manager be given delegated authority to negotiate the sale of Lots 850, 851, 852 and 853 DP 214160 Surfside for amounts not less than 10% below market value determined by a registered valuer.
Council will say that it undertook a review of land holdings as part of the 2010 Recreation and Open Space Strategy (ROSS) with a view to determining recreation needs and which properties might be suitable for reclassification and sale to fund these needs.
A consultant did a drive by and reported that "there is very little vegetation on the land and no known community use of the lots. As a result of this finding the lots on The Vista lots were among the parcels of land identified as “land for investigation for disposal or acquisition”.
A proposal was made by Council's Property Officer that Lots 850, 851, 852 and 853 DP 214160 Surfside (The Vista lots) be reclassified as operational land with the intention that the lots be sold in accordance with Council’s Land Acquisition and Disposal Policy.
At its Ordinary meeting held on 15 February 2015 Council authorised the sale of 11 parcels of operational land, and the subdivision and sale of a further 15 properties. The Vista lots were not included in the sale of Council land at that time due to uncertainty around the impact of coastal erosion.
The Water Research Laboratory (WRL) Coastal Hazard Study (2017) provided new information around coastal erosion and flooding which has determined the lots are not impacted by coastal erosion.
Any purchaser will be required to consider environmental issues as part of a Development Application. The commercial nature of this zoning provides an opportunity to increase commercial development and stimulate the economy in the area.
The Recreation and Open Space Strategy 2010 identifies that funds raised from the sale of surplus community lands in the strategy would be used for improving recreation facilities.
