Kathy Gandolfi
VACANT land along Fifth Street in Millicent may become available for future residential allotments if Wattle Range Council’s aim to purchase the land freehold from the State Government is realised.
At council’s meeting recently, elected members agreed to a staff recommendation to consult residents about removing the land’s classification as ‘community’ which, if the public are in agreeance, will allow the State Government to release the land as freehold for purchase by council at an agreed purchase price of $71,500.
Currently the land is Crown Land under the care and control of council and contains community facilities including the Road Safety School, Lions Den, Men’s Shed and Craft Centre.
These facilities would be protected to continue their activities as normal under the proposal for purchase by Council.
The proposal would allow council to divide the triangular piece of land so that the community facilities were included on one allotment, while the remaining vacant land, which covers about 2.8 hectares, could be sold by council for potential residential allotments.
The existing adjacent Belt Road walking track would be unaffected by the proposal.
The State Government first approached council to ascertain its interest in purchasing the land in 2020 and work has under been underway ever since to progress the matter.
“Council’s future intent for the land is to undertake a realignment of the boundaries to enable all of the Community Hub assets to be located on one land parcel to simplify future land administration of these assets,” said a staff report to council’s meeting last week.
“In respect to the balance of the land there is potential for this land to be subdivided from the community hub assets area (without impacting the Belt Road linear reserve) to encourage expansion of residential allotments which is in short supply in the Millicent township currently.”
Community consultation is anticipated to begin in the next two to three weeks.
