The Invercargill City Council is considering selling or repurposing 14 pieces of reserve land, including farmland in Donovan Park. Mayor Nobby Clark believes this could generate between $25m to $30m. A report on the potential sale of almost half of Donovan Park, excluding its public recreational areas, is expected in February.
Following consultation, the Donovan land would need to be legally declassified as a reserve. Not all areas referred to as ‘reserve’ land by the council have this legal status, but Donovan does. The council is currently consulting with a commissioner to confirm the legal status of all properties under consideration.
There is strong support within the council for selling the Donovan farmland for financial gain, potentially for housing development. However, removing the reserve status doesn’t mean all the land will be sold. The council may decide to repurpose the land itself. The commissioner will consider the suitability of any intended future use.
Land along Awarua Rd and Mokomoko Rd is already in the process of being sold. The council has approved the start of public notification of the disposal proposals for the remaining land.
Mayor Clark said the council wants to act quickly. He said the land could provide needed revenue in the coming months and years. Alternatively, the council may remove the reserve status and use the land for other purposes, such as building more age-care units.
