Avenside expressway

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 12

Avenside expressway

Sir, — The City Council can buy land for an expressway, but can it release it for resale? I should appreciate an explanation of the steps that have to be taken by city authorities and citizens to get land held for reading back on to the open market. How Jong might it take and how much will it cost? — Yours,, etc., ’ ' • B. CHILDS. May 1, 1980.

(Mr J. H. Gray. General Manager and Town Clerk, replies: “As a general rule, land required for street works is obtained through the procedures of the Public Works Act following negotiation and agreement with the owners and is gazetted for the purpose. When any part of such land later becomes available for resale, it must be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of Section 345 of the Local Government Act 1974. Unless the land is being sold to an adjoining owner, the council must make a special order to permit disposal and this procedure involves public notification on two occasions. As an example, the steps necessary prior to selling surplus street works land will be commenced at the next meeting of the council in respect to eight properties in Aidwins Road involving the balance of land not now required following the completion of work. The funds obtained from such sales are used to reimburse the source of finance for the original purchase, i.e., rates, National Roads Board subsidy, loan. Z part from additional administrative costs associated with the necessity for public notification and in some cases, additional survey, costs are those as for any normal property sale including commission if real estate agents are used. It is not possible for me to quantify these costs in view of the general nature of your correspondent’s inquiry. In the event that anv property already purchased for the Avonside expressway can be disposed of, it will be dealt with in the above manner. It is unlikely, however, that a sale would be contemplated while the expressway designation remains as part of

the District Scheme. Should Mr Childs have a specific property in mind, I would be pleased to provide him with further information if he contacts me direct.”]