Residents up in arms over council land sale
MAR GATE man Ray Carroll had his family home compulsorily acquired by council 21 years ago so they could widen the road, but it never happened and now the property is set to be put on the market.
His son Simon, who owns the property next door to the now vacant block, has taken up the fight, and is calling on Kingborough Council to reconsider the potential private sale, which has been mooted to raise money for playground upgrades in the municipality.
A recent council playground audit found more than half of the 45 playgrounds in the municipality were in an unsatisfactory condition and 18 were categorised as needing critical upgrades to comply with the council’s playground strategy.
Mayor Dean Winter previously said the council was considering selling seven disused council-owned properties to fund the upgrades.
The properties being considered for sale are 110 Channel Highway, Taroona; Lot 2, Mt Pleasant Rd, Kingston; Snug Tiers Rd, Snug (near 105); 281 Roslyn Ave, Blackmans Bay; 41 Hiern Rd, Blackmans Bay; Main Rd, Alonnah (near Hotel Bruny); and Mr Carroll’s old property at 31 Gem all a Rd, Mar gate.
In 1999, Ray Carroll had 31 Gemalla Rd, on the corner of Bundalla Rd, compulsorily acquired and his home of 28 years demolished by council so Bundalla Rd could be widened to service a growing industrial estate in the area.
Simon Carroll bought 33 Gemalla Rd in 2001 and said he did so on the proviso his dad’s old block was only to be used for road widening.
“Nowhere we are 20 years later and the council want to sell it to a private developer to do with what they want ,” Ray Carroll said.
“They’ll see the light industrial zoning — and we have suspicions on exactly who wants to buy the block— and they could put a15m- high shed on that corner, which is totally against what it was acquired for.”
Simon Carroll said the zoning of his property was changed to light industrial in 2015 without his knowledge.
His father said Kingborough Council had gone against the Local Government Act by acquiring his former property and not using it for the intended purpose.
Mr Winter said the surrounding area was one of Kingborough’s major employment hubs, “producing hundreds of millions of dollars of economic activity, particularly in construction and aquaculture.
“The continuing economic activity will require Gemalla Rd to be wide ned ,” he said.
“If the sale goes ahead, council will be completing a boundary adjustment to facilitate the road widening.
“The remainder of the property is not required for this project and council has no other uses for it. That said, we are considering feedback in relation to all land sales and community members are welcome to make submissions by Friday( October 9).”