Banksia St submission

Reference 77535E

Land sales program, to fund critical capital works, and reduce Council debt. Property listed for consideration: Unformed Road reserve – located between Ilfracombe and Elizabeth Drive Vincentia, known as Banksia Street Reserve.

Dear Sir,

The VRRA appreciate the Council’s efforts to reduce debt, and the consideration to sell this site as part of a land sales program to achieve debt reduction and fund critical capital Works. However, in this instance, we recommend Council keep this land as an appreciating asset for the community and visitors.

Reasons:
*This vacant site is located on the water, between Moona Moona Creek and Vincentia. It is the only one of its kind in this location, and its significance increases as our population grows and our visitor numbers increase. To prevent access will create a major disruption to walkers & cyclists traversing from tracks to Collingwood Beach.

* Our visitor numbers are increasing exponentially, especially during peak holidays and events that draw huge crowds of competitors and observers – like the National Hobie Cat Championships, Husky Triathlon, and other major sporting events, when we experience an influx of thousands of people.

* It is important to keep this site unencumbered to be available for the continued provision of toilets, water & refreshment stations, and garbage collection points.

We are aware of a submission by a group of property owners & residents, and we support their recommendation to Council, not to sell the land; to keep it as an appreciating asset for the community and visitors.

We would appreciation your serious consideration to removing this site from your list of proposed properties to sell’

Submission by residents & property owners

The land is identified as Unformed Public Road Banksia Street Vincentia

1. This unformed road/reserve has been an access route for over 40 years for the residents of Elizabeth Drive, Banksia Street and Duncan Street to access Ilfracombe Avenue, Collingwood Beach, and the walking/ bicycle track between Huskisson and Vincentia villages. During summer there are often more than 100 people accessing Collingwood beach and the walking/cycling track each day via this reserve.
Closure of this road/reserve would cause major disruption to these people
During the rest of the year many local people use the reserve daily.
2. It is the only green space/reserve between Moona Moona creek and Vincentia and is used by local children for playing various games.
3. The reserve is utilised by the Husky Triathlon as a point for providing water refreshment, toilet facilities (portaloos) and rubbish collection during the three major events each year. This is a major tourist event hosting up to 5000 competitors and bringing huge numbers of people to the area.
4. The reserve is crossed by one sewer line which then intersects with the major sewer main running along the southern boundary and down to the pump out station at the Moona moona creek end of Banksia street. There is a major access point at the junction of the sewer lines in the middle of the reserve.
5. There are high voltage electrical lines running along the southern boundary of the reserve with a high voltage transformer in the middle of the power lines
6. Due to its proximity to Collingwood beach sand dunes any development would involve very expensive Piering down to the bedrock approx. 10M below ground level to ensure stability of any development.
In summary we believe that this area is not a suitable site to be considered for sale as it would cause serious inconvenience to residents and would remove an important amenity used by both the local residents, holiday makers and Triathlon competitors.
There are also major and potentially expensive issues that would need to be addressed in relation to the power lines and the sewerage.
It is our recommendation that this property be removed from the list of council owned properties that have been identified for possible sale, and confirmed as a permanent