ALPINE Shire councillors will next week consider whether or not to purchase a section of a discontinued government road to allow for future extension of the existing Mount Beauty Airport runway.
The matter was tabled at last month's council meeting but deferred for discussion to council's March meeting, scheduled at council's chambers in Bright at 5pm on Tuesday, 25 March.
Council director of assets, Alan Rees, told last month's meeting that a recommendation to purchase the land followed on from the previous council's decision back in November 2021 to commence a discontinuance of the government road.
"This discontinuance process has now been completed and the Minister for Finance has approved the sale of the land to council," he said.
"What this report is now doing is bringing this process to an end, which ultimately means that council is now authorised to consider acquiring that land."
Latest Stories
Councillors were told the extension of the Mount Beauty Airport runway was initially delayed after council discovered part of the land in question was a 'government road' which required the proposal to go through this discontinuance process.
Since 2021, the land in question has been surveyed, assessed and valued.
"The next steps for council, if they were to consider the recommendation and approve it, would be for us to then complete the acquisition process," Mr Rees said.
"It's also important to note from a financial perspective, council would be required to approve an unbudgeted expenditure of $22,000, if [it was decided] to continue with this process.
"There's no known risk associated with the report; it is recommended based on the work which has been done, the approval by the minister, for council to proceed with the acquisition of this piece of land, previously known as a discontinued road."
