City of Coffs Harbour has decided to pursue compulsory acquisition of two state-owned blocks of land at the Jetty Foreshores.
At its meeting on 8 February, councillors endorsed the action to proceed with the compulsory acquisition process of Lot 11 DP 843870 and Lot 10 DP 1284099 after a bid to purchase the land was rebuffed by NSW Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper in late January.
The City offered $6.7 million for the Foreshores land owned by Property and Development NSW.
The offer included two City-owned blocks of land in the CBD where zoning permits builds of up to 14-storeys, and which could have been used by the State to boost the stock of affordable housing at a suitable location.
The Minister’s rejection of the bid saw the disused railway land at the Jetty back on the City agenda after Council voted last July to support a compulsory acquisition process in principle.
“We have decided to take this path as the City believes it is vital to retain the land in public ownership for the benefit of the community,” City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Cr Paul Amos said.
“The state’s model for the land would see some of it carved off for private residential development, and given the prized waterfront nature of the location, there is no way that could be seen as affordable housing.”
The City’s decision authorises the General Manager to make an application to the Minister for Local Government and the Governor of NSW for approval to compulsorily acquire the land.
The City submitted a formal offer to the Minister for Lands and Property in November to buy the land.
The City’s offer comprised of a $6.7m cash payment and two land parcels in central Coffs Harbour, valued at $2.15m.
The City considered the offer generous, given the land was transferred from Transport for NSW to Property and Development NSW for $2.2m on October 31. This offer was made as the compulsory first step towards pursuing compulsory acquisition.
