A ‘practically inaccessible’ parcel of community land at Clayton Bay is proposed to be revoked of its classification and disposed to the adjoining resident.

Public consultation is currently open to gauge community appetite on the potential revocation of community land classification of Lot 91 Finniss-Clayton Road to enable its disposal to an adjacent landowner.

The land is surrounded on three sides by a single parcel of land owned by the applicant, while the south-west boundary is a legal, but unmade, road – parts of which have been permanently submerged by Lake Alexandrina.

The 5.3-hectare undeveloped reserve has been inaccessible in practical terms to the public for more than 80 years after council closed the road on the north-west boundary in 1934.

“The absence of practical access to anyone but the only adjoining owner makes the proposal unusual,” a council report read.

“There is no formal constructed track or road providing all-weather vehicular access to the property.

“Practical access to the site could only realistically be achieved by approach from the water, or possibly, subject to water level, from hiking around the edge of the river from Glengrove Road, which is located approximately 1.3 kilometres north of the reserve.

“In November 2020, an approach was made from the surrounding landowner to purchase this land parcel, noting neither council nor the community had practical access to it for over 80 years.”

If the land parcel is progressed to sale, two independent market valuations will be obtained to determine the purchase price, with sale proceeds expected to reduce council borrowings and provide capacity for it to reinvest in alternative project initiatives.

The current site valuation sits at $170,000.

To have your say, visit (https://mysay.alexandrina.sa.gov.au/embeds/projects/89094/survey-tools/98890) complete a hard copy survey at the Strathalbyn or Goolwa office or respond via email at (alex@alexandrina.sa.gov.au) by tomorrow.