NewsBite

Onkaparinga Council decides fate of public reserves in sell-off plan

Wait, whose land is this? An Adelaide council trying to sell off public reserves for housing has made decisions on five of them – but one is causing confusion.

Homeowners in Adelaide’s south may have to buy council land they had been using as part of their property after the council decided against selling a local reserve.

Two homeowners in Aberfoyle Park have been using a small strip of community land – roughly 46m in length – for property access, parking, bin storage and a letterbox for three years, Onkaparinga Council said.

“They indicated an intention to continue using it as an extension of their private property for as long as possible,” council documents state.

Council is now seeking to resolve the unauthorised land use.

The issue was brought to light amid a campaign to save the reserve from being sold for housing – one of seven council considered selling off.

The sliver of land in questions is separated from the rest of the council reserve by a rural-style fence installed by the previous land owner more than a decade ago and “defines the area being used for private use”.

Staff suggested either removing the fence or allowing the landowners to purchase the land, with elected members last week voting to start negotiations on the latter.

But it’s unclear whether the landowners are on board.

Council documents said the residents earlier told council they were not intending to buy the land “but may reconsider” depending on council’s decision on the future of the reserve.

At the same time, residents were concerned that removing the fence would create a security risk because their property doesn’t have fencing and the area “has been subject to occasional anti-social behaviour”, documents state.

This sliver of council land has been used by private residents for years. Picture: Onkaparinga Council
This sliver of council land has been used by private residents for years. Picture: Onkaparinga Council

A spokesperson said the landowners had not submitted a formal application to purchase the land.

They added residents were primarily using the area for pedestrian access between the front and back of their property, “which does not require formal permission”.

The landowners who lobbied council to retain the reserve said “we were contacted by the council in 2022, when our house was in its final stages of construction, as a contractor had left a front-end loader beside the house. It was removed the next day.”

Last week, elected members voted to not to sell the reserve in question at Aberfoyle Park and another at Mindarie St in Port Willunga after a groundswell of opposition.

Council decided not to sell a third one in May.

“We and the community are so grateful to the council for appreciating the importance of protecting this wildlife reserve,” the property owners said.

Of the seven reserves, elected members have so far voted to revoke the community land classification from two, including at 9 Selaru Way, Noarlunga and Marie Ave, Morphett Vale in response to community support for the sale.

Council is currently consulting the community about the remaining two sites.

Originally published as Onkaparinga Council decides fate of public reserves in sell-off plan

Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/south-australia/onkaparinga-council-decides-fate-of-public-reserves-in-selloff-plan/news-story/abfd72fcd3e9a7e22e680045b49e475d