Donovan Park land sale debate likely to heat up
It is expected that Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark will in the coming weeks continue to push for the sale of some Donovan Park farmland.
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The Invercargill City Council is consulting on its draft Donovan Park Masterplan amidst a push from Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark to sell off some farmland for housing.
Donovan Park covers over 79 hectares and a masterplan was developed in April 2024 following engagement with elected members, mana whenua, key partners, and members of the public.
That draft masterplan is now out for further consultation with an information event being held for the public at the Waikiwi Rugby Club at 7pm tonight [Wednesday].
The draft document says earlier feedback suggested the public wanted to retain services and functions at Donovan Park, including the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral (A&P) show and equestrian events.
The report says 41% of those who offered their thoughts want to keep it as it is and 59% want to improve it.
Suggested improvements include new recreational activities and food resilience and education.
However, Mayor Clark hasn’t shied away from his belief that some farmland at Donovan Park - about 36 hectares - should be sold off to allow for housing developments.
That land Clark has suggested for a possible sale included the farmland where the Southland A&P Show and equestrian events have been held.
It is expected that Clark will continue to push for that as the Donovan Park Masterplan process continues to play out in the coming weeks.
In March Clark said the biggest need in the city “for the last 20 or 30 years” has been around elderly housing.
“I just think we are artificially generating a need for this farm when in fact we should consider selling it.”
He believed selling that land would not just free up land for housing but also would provide an important source of revenue for the council.
Clark has indicated the money used from the sale of that farmland at Donovan Park could go towards the museum development to ensure the council did not have to raise rates to fund it.
Clark has previously indicated $6 million had already been suggested for just 5ha of land in that farmland area at Donovan Park.
The information attached to the council’s current public consultation on Donovan Park states: “If the intent is to pursue the disposal of part of Donovan Park, the agriculture and event areas could be considered as the areas with the highest potential for alternative land use.
“It is also to be recognised that an extensive legislatively driven process will be required to be undertaken for any land disposal options. Revocation of the designation under the Act as well as either a Resource Consent or Plan change to the District Plan (under the Resource Management Act 1991) would be required if the purpose was for housing development.”
Submissions on the draft Donovan Park Masterplan are due by 5pm on Wednesday September 4.
You can find the draft Donovan Park Masterplan can be found by clicking here.
What is the public being consulted on. They mayor has talked figures of 5 million to 30 million so any serious consultation should be transparent enough to give the owners (ratepayers) a full understanding of what value they can expect if public property is sold off.
We have already seen the museum costs that we were consulted on become irrelevant as the cost was vastly underestimated, I suspect this will be the same. Let's see a proper business plan showing the true costs involved and at least one proposal from one of the 10 developers who are in the mayor's ear wanting to purchase the land which is in effect they cities family silver.
There is no need for any secrecy, the more people who know the better.
What you are being asked to do is say okay to the council to sell your land with no guarantee of the actual return.
Trust me the mayor is saying. Yeah right.
When the hard working Donavan family left their farm to the city many years back,how did they word their gift to the city?