LAKE Macquarie City Council has stepped up discussions to compulsorily acquire blocks of land in Morisset to accommodate its plans for a library and community centre in the town.
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At council’s Corporate Services Committee meeting on Monday night, councillors again discussed acquiring 32 Yambo Street, and part of 73 Dora Street.
The Yambo Street property, at the corner of Station Street, is well known because of the Ray White shipping container that sits on the block.
Council has been in negotiations with the landowners since 2013.
Since those negotiations failed to reach an agreed outcome, council in April this year agreed to seek to acquire the property compulsorily.
A report to councillors on Monday said the owners of the land had experienced a change of heart.
“The landowners, who initially requested that council commence the compulsory acquisition process, advised that they no longer wanted to proceed with the compulsory acquisition process and would prefer to continue to negotiate with council,” the report said.
“Council is currently obtaining an updated valuation with a view to recommencing negotiations with the landowners and ultimately acquire the property...”
The funding for any compulsory acquisition would be met from Section 94 contributions, the report said.
The property is behind the former site of the old Morisset post office.
Council acquired the old post office block in 2014, for $850,000. The building had been closed since 1995.
The vacant land on Dora Street is next to Morisset Police Station.
A report to councillors described the property as “residue land from the redevelopment of the Morisset Police Station”. It is a parcel of land about 1,232 square metres, and is owned by the state government.
Council is expected to make an application to the Minister for Local Government and the Governor to compulsorily acquire the land.