Alice Springs Town Council issues clean-up notice for owners of ‘neglected’ building

Alice Springs Town Council is demanding owners of ‘neglected’ buildings in the CBD clean up their land or risk facing legal action. Read which locations they’re targeting.

The Alice Springs Town Council is demanding that owners of land considered to be “visually polluting” clean up their properties or face potential legal action.

Chief executive Andrew Wilsmore wrote to the owners of the former Beaurepaires building, the former Town and Country Tavern and vacant lots on Gap Rd, following discussions at the June council meeting around visual pollution bylaws.

“As you would be aware, the building owned by you at this address has been abandoned and

seriously neglected for a number of years and often featured in news stories that are

disparaging of our town,” Mr Wilsmore wrote.

“Council is now moving forward with its regulatory powers under the Local Government Act and its bylaws to force improvements.

Alice Springs Town Council has issued a clean-up notice for the former Beaurepaires centre which is covered in graffiti. Picture: Laura Hooper.

“Council has determined Under Section 283 and 284 of the Local Government Act 2019 that

your building is visually polluting on the land and detracts from the amenity of the

surrounding neighbourhood and also poses a hazard and nuisance.

“We invite you as the owner’s representative to act in good faith and comply with this request at your earliest convenience.

“Should you choose not to comply, council will consider commencing legal proceeding

through a regulatory order against you that carr(ies) financial penalties and provides further

powers to enter the land and carry out works that will be recovered at your cost.”

The former Town and Country Tavern, in Alice Springs’ Todd Mall, has been closed for a number of years and is frequently the target of vandalism. Picture: Laura Hooper.

Representatives of the former Town and Country Tavern responded to the request on behalf of the owner, stating the property had been advertised for lease and for sale for many years without success.

“While we appreciate that the tenancy is somewhat run down and neglected, we would like to know what solutions the council has in place to deter the break-ins, graffiti and general vandalism that occurs frequently here and has to be repaired at the owners’ cost without any income being generated from this premises,” the representative wrote.

“Understandably the consideration of spending more money on this tenancy only for it to continue to be vandalised is not an appealing option for the owner.

Representatives of owners of vacant blocks at 43, 45 and 47 Gap Road also received the notice. Picture: Laura Hooper.

“Should we be able to secure a tenant the owner would certainly look at providing assistance to upgrade this premises, however with no viable prospects at present, partly due to the poor reputation of the mall as a safe location to run a business, this is not something that the owner would currently consider viable.”

Under local government bylaws, the council may issue a regulatory order for land, structures or objects in an unsightly condition requiring the owner to remove or reduce the “visual pollution”.

A penalty of up to $17,600 may be applied if a person fails to comply with that order.

The letters came after councillor Kim Hopper raised the issue of visual pollution bylaws in the council’s June general meeting.

It was decided that Mr Wilsmore would write to the relevant parties and report back to the council, with councillors to send a list of properties of concern.

The issue is expected to be further discussed at the council’s general meeting on Tuesday.