Published: 23 August 2022

Today, councillors voted to begin the process that could see eleven parcels of land reclassified to enable potential sale or reflect actual use.

The sites include seven small parcels of land that adjacent property owners would like to purchase to formalise driveway access, stabilise banks or increase open space. Three more lots - located at Malua Bay, South Durras and Broulee– were identified in the Recreation and Open Space Strategy 2018 as surplus to community needs.

An additional site with existing water reservoir and telecoms infrastructure could also be reclassified to reflect actual use and ease lease renewals.

Council’s director of planning Lindsay Usher said this was the first step in the standard process for land reclassification.

“Today’s decision means we can submit these sites to the NSW Government planning department to kick off the reclassification process,” Mr Usher said.

“Once given the NSW Government’s okay to proceed, the proposed reclassification then goes on 28 days of public exhibition for community review, followed by a public hearing. Adjacent landholders and relevant community associations are also notified.

“This feedback is reported to councillors and only then do they decide whether to sell all, some, or none of the sites. If they choose to proceed, the final planning proposal is sent to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.”

Mr Usher said the three sites identified from the open space strategy were suitable for housing and would likely be sold to home builders or developers.

“Money from any land sale will either be put back into the open space network or into Council’s real estate development fund, which is allocated for future Council projects as decided by councillors,” he said.

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