Council wants to classify sport and recreational land it has bought at Colongra as operational rather than community.
The operational classification makes it easier to sell and it doesn’t have to have a plan of management like community land has to have.
Some community groups would prefer any council land that is used by the community be classified as community; it gives it more protection.
As council explains it: “Classification of the land as Operational allows for any eventual boundary adjustments that might be desirable, for example, so that surplus land could be sold to the adjoining landowner or the configuration of the adjoining road reserve could be modified.
“Also, long-term commercial leases, for example, leases of third-party-constructed club facilities, are also much more straightforward on Operational Land.
“Additionally, Operational Land is valued at full market price, whereas the value of Community Land is discounted on account of the fact that it cannot be sold,” Council said.
Council received no submissions when it put the classification proposal on public exhibition in May, but it was only published on the council website under public notices.
The classification must be completed by 22 July 2025 – that’s tomorrow – or it defaults to community land.
Section 31 of the Local Government Act says If the council doesn’t make a resolution within the specified timeframe, the land is automatically classified as community land.
“Land adjacent to Scenic Drive at Colongra, in the peninsula that separates Lake Budgewoi from Lake Munmorah, has for many years been identified as a preferred location for the development of community sporting facilities and other recreational improvements to serve the growing population of the Greater Munmorah area,” the council report stated.
“To secure a site for the development of recreational facilities, a long-term lease over land at 235 Scenic Drive was established in 2014 between the former Wyong Shire Council and the power company that operated the nearby Colongra and Munmorah power stations.
“At the time, the power company was owned by State Government.
“To provide greater security of tenure for Council over the land at 235 Scenic Drive, and to expedite the provision of new community sporting fields via State Government infrastructure funding, Council resolved to acquire the land in October 2023.”
The sale has been completed and councillors will decide if they agree with the operational classification at the June 22 meeting.

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