Council resolved to agree on the sale of a property on Staplyton Street in Jugiong, at their monthly meeting last Wednesday. The property was initially purchased due to a Voluntary House Raising/House Purchase Feasiblity Study, that deemed Lot 3, Staplyton Street would be incredibly vulnerable to a major flood event, and no amount of work could make it safe. The scheme “aimed at removing residents from life threatening situations and restricting further development on land that has high hazard risk during a flood event,” according to Council.
Lot 3, Staplyton Street was the only one of nine identified at-risk properties that opted to take advantage of the scheme. The former Harden Shire Council resolved to purchase the property, at their November 2015 meeting. The property was to be vacated by April 30, 2017 and have been demolished no later than 31 May, of that year. This did not occur until the conclusion of July, 2017. The former Council resolved to purchase the property for $200,000, pay the cost of demolition to the value of $25,750, and meet the legal costs of both parties. Should the land, which is now owned by Council, be sold, it will have a restriction placed upon it, that no dwelling can be erected. The previous owner of the land has expressed a desire to repurchase the land in accordance with the terms of the contract of sale. Council resolved to agree to the sale of the property, and to first seek an independent valuation on the property prior to commencement of negotiations regarding the sale.
