ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL 23 FEBRUARY, 2021
ITEM-3 FURTHER REPORT RECLASSIFICATION AND SALE OF
ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL 23 FEBRUARY, 2021
At its Ordinary Meeting of 28 April 2020, Council considered a post-exhibition report on the proposal and resolved as follows:
1. The planning proposal to amend Appendix 11 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Sydney Region Growth Centres) 2006 to reclassify 15Z Nelson Road, Box Hill from ‘community’ to ‘operational’ proceed to finalisation.
2. Council expedite the master planning process and investigate the feasibility of staged embellishment of the future Sports Complex currently known as Bligh Reserve as per Points D and E of Section 7 of this report with any required funding for the preparation of the masterplan to be considered in a future budget review.
3. Should the sale of 15Z Nelson Road occur, Council:
a) Puts all proceeds (less Council costs) in an internal reserve fund for exclusive use towards the provision of a new community centre, replacing the existing community hall, servicing the Box Hill and Nelson areas.
b) Investigate opportunities to avoid or minimise any transitional period between the closure of the existing community centre and the opening of a new community centre servicing the Box Hill and Nelson area as per section 7 of this report, including maintaining continued access of the current Hall where possible via points A, B and C.
c) Review existing Council landholdings within Box Hill to identify where temporary facilities can be provided within Box Hill and surrounding areas for existing hall users as per Section 7 dot points 1 and 2 of this report.
d) Commence a process to rename “Bligh Reserve” by publically exhibiting a proposal to name the Future Sports Oval Complex “Anthony Skarratt Reserve”.
e) Name the community hall “Box Hill and Nelson Community Centre”.
f) Investigate options for how the history of the current hall and connection to the Box Hill and Nelson Progress Association is to be displayed or maintained in a new community hall.
4. A further report is to be brought back to Council within 3 months of a sale detailing the progress on the items 2 and 3 above.
At its Ordinary Meeting of 24 November 2020, Council considered a report on the sale of the land and resolved as follows:
1. Council approve the sale of Lot 1 DP 136174 (15Z Nelson Road, Box Hill) to Nelson Road Village Investments Pty Ltd subject to the terms detailed in this report with the Contract, Deed, Transfer, Request Documents and any other required documents authorised for execution under Seal (Option 1 of this report).
2. Council bring forward funding of $358,862 from Contribution Plan 15 at the February 2021 Budget Review to enable further development of the project design for the Bligh Sports Complex (CP15BHPF05).
REPORT
This report provides an update with respect to Items 2 and 3 of Council’s resolution dated 28
April 2020.
ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL 23 FEBRUARY, 2021
Item 2 – “Council expedite the master planning process and investigate the feasibility of staged embellishment of the future Sports Complex currently known as Bligh Reserve as per Points D and E of Section 7 of this report with any required funding for the preparation of the masterplan to be considered in a future budget review”.
A draft Landscape Masterplan for the future Anthony Skarratt Reserve has been prepared and is provided as Attachment 1. The next step will be for the draft Landscape Masterplan to be placed on public exhibition.
With respect to a budget review to enable required funding for the preparation of a masterplan, Council considered this matter on 24 November 2020 and resolved to bring forward an additional $358,862 of funding from Contribution Plan 15 to enable further development of the project design for the Bligh Sports Complex (in addition to the existing project budget of $200,000). This will be reflected in the February 2021 Budget Review as per Council’s resolution dated 24 November 2020.
Item 3 – “Should the sale of 15Z Nelson Road occur, Council:
a) Puts all proceeds (less Council costs) in an internal reserve fund for exclusive use towards the provision of a new community centre, replacing the existing community hall, servicing the Box Hill and Nelson areas.
It was agreed that the sale of the land would be subject to a delayed settlement period of 18 months following the execution of contracts, in order to reduce the time between the closure of the existing facility and the opening of the new facility. Once proceeds are received, they will be placed in an internal reserve which will be created for the exclusive use of the provision of a new community centre.
b) Investigate opportunities to avoid or minimise any transitional period between the closure of the existing community centre and the opening of a new community centre servicing the Box Hill and Nelson area as per section 7 of this report, including maintaining continued access of the current Hall where possible via points A, B and C.
As noted above, the sale of the land is subject to a delayed settlement of 18 months following the execution of contracts, in order to allow for continued access to the current hall.
The master planning process for the new facility is also being expedited during this settlement period with a view to minimising any transitional period.
c) Review existing Council landholdings within Box Hill to identify where temporary facilities can be provided within Box Hill and surrounding areas for existing hall users as per Section 7 dot points 1 and 2 of this report.
Consideration has been given to potential sites owned by Council within the surrounding
area however there are no identified sites that can be utilised in the short term, due to the
lack of utility services, vehicle access and car parking. A strategy has been implemented to
fast track the design for the new community centre proposed to be located in Nelson Road,
Box Hill and it is anticipated that construction will be commenced prior to the finalisation of
the land dealing.
ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL 23 FEBRUARY, 2021
A further review of hall users has been undertaken and it is anticipated that the existing hall users will be able to be accommodated in other existing Council facilities during any transitional period (including the Vinegar Hill Memorial Library and Community Centre, Rouse Hill Community Centre, Beaumont Hills Community Centre and South Maroota Hall).
d) Commence a process to rename “Bligh Reserve” by publically exhibiting a proposal to name the Future Sports Oval Complex “Anthony Skarratt Reserve”.
Public exhibition of a proposal to rename “Bligh Reserve” to “Anthony Skarratt Reserve”
occurred from 28 January to 18 February 2021. Council officers are considering any submissions lodged. Dependent on the nature of submissions, Council’s formal application will be lodged with the Geographic Names Board.
e) Name the community hall “Box Hill and Nelson Community Centre”.
Following the design, planning and construction of the community centre, it will be assigned the name “Box Hill and Nelson Community Centre” in accordance with Council’s resolution dated 28 April 2020.
f) Investigate options for how the history of the current hall and connection to the Box Hill and Nelson Progress Association is to be displayed or maintained in a new community hall.