City of Rockingham has eye on Baldivis District Sporting Complex site

Negotiations are in their infancy, with an initial valuation to occur in the next two weeks.

Mayor Barry Sammels said that the site being negotiated for was preferred due to its size, location and access to transport routes.

He said negotiations for the land were at an early stage, but he was hopeful they would proceed smoothly.

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“A detailed valuation will be undertaken and thorough site inspection of the properties is required,” he said.

“If the valuation is agreeable to all parties, and following the due diligence on the lots, a report will be presented to council recommending that the City proceed to settlement, and the freehold titles for the lands be transferred to the City.

“The property owners also have the option to arrange for a separate valuation.”

Should a settlement not be reached, the City would still be able to acquire the land through the State Government, a step Mr Sammels said the City was hoping to avoid.

“While the City would prefer to reach a mutually beneficial outcome, the City is able to seek compulsory acquisition through the Minister for Lands under Section 9 of the Lands Administration Act 1997,” he said.

Under the Lands Administration Act 1997, the City may apply to the Minister for Lands to acquire land ‘designated for a public purpose on a plan of survey’.

In the April 2016 City of Rockingham Business Plan, $3 million is allocated for land for the complex, with a further $12.2 million allocated for two ovals and a pavilion, with construction scheduled to begin in 2017.

Stage two, which is mooted for construction in the year 2023, also features two ovals and a pavilion and will cost about $10 million.

Rounding out the project would be netball courts and infrastructure costing close to $6 million, with a starting date of 2025.