Despite signed contracts, works commencing, and then halting on the Byron bypass project owing to a vulnerable snail in its path, it has emerged Council staff are yet to finalise land acquisition for the project.
According to the upcoming November 28 agenda, staff are asking councillors to agree to the ‘acquisition, including carrying out survey work and valuations, entering agreements with the relevant land owners, paying just compensation and registering the acquisitions’.
There’s no mention of why these details were not formalised before works commenced, only an estimation of what they believe the land is valued at and what it will cost to undertake.
Staff believe it will cost $20,000 to ‘conduct the survey and prepare the required plans,’ while adding it will be $30,000 to acquire two parcels of land, which are 20m2 from the old Norco building and 49m2 from the Mitre Ten building. Both parcels are to be dedicated as road.
It’s also unclear whether staff have even included that cost within the budget. The report concludes with, ‘It is envisaged that these costs associated with the acquisition and dedication of land as road has been budgeted for under Council’s General Ledger number 45480’.
The Echo previously reported that businesses in the area are concerned they will be impacted by a loss of parking.
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