THE Moree Plains Shire Council has launched a bid to buy the land on which three of its water reservoirs stand, in a move which it says will make Moree’s infrastructure future more secure and sustainable.
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The towers are located at Jellicoe Park, Ron Harborne Oval and Boughton Oval.
The council commissioned an evaluation of the land on which the three reservoirs are located with an estimated combined total of $12,000. To put it in context, the council will draw more than $4.8 million in water charges this financial year.
“With the sort of money that we’re talking about, we’re just far better off owning the land outright than leasing it,” waste and water manager, David Wolfenden, said. “Replacing infrastructure can cost millions of dollars and the last thing you want to do five, 10 years down the track is argue about whose land it’s on. It just makes sense to buy it now that an opportunity has arisen.”
The real estate is owned by Crown Lands, which in 2010 requested MPSC enter into a licensing agreement which would see the council pay for the use of the communications antennae which sit atop the towers.
The council decided at the time to investigate acquisition of the land, to remove the need to pay the state for use of the antennae and lease of the property.
With the findings of the investigation now in, councillors voted unanimously to proceed with the process when they met last week.
“We have the lease over the land but, long-term, it’s best to buy it now and have it sorted. We won’t have to continually renegotiate leasing agreements.”
Mr Wolfenden said the acquisition, if successful, would prevent any potential disagreements and position the MPSC to benefit from any future business opportunities.
“In 10, 20 years time it could have become an issue,” he said. “But it’s like owning a house – once you have that piece of land, it’s yours.”
He said the process could take up to 12 months to finalise, adding council was not expecting the acquisition process to be challenged by the state government.