Delays blamed on land purchase

Gosford Council has blamed delays to the construction of a cycleway at Brickwharf Rd, Woy Woy, on the Lands Department.

The department had forced the council to compulsorily acquire a small portion of Crown Land, currently leased to the Woy Woy CWA, according to the council's director of city services Mr Stephen Glen.

He said the acquisition of the 5.5m squared portion of land had "significantly delayed construction of the facility", with approval from the Department of Local Government only just being received.

"The Legal Services section endeavoured to acquire the land by transfer and grant, usually a much easier, time saving and less costly exercise than compulsory acquisition.

"However, the Department of Lands would not agree to this process," Mr Glen said.

"As soon as council has the right to construct the full length of the shared footpath-cycleway, the

RTA will be approached to 50/50 fund the work as the final stage of the Gosford to Woy Woy facility."

Mr Glen was replying to a request for a status update on the project by Cr Chris Holstein on April 1.

Council agenda Q.44, 27 May 2008