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DCC Buys Part of Former School Site

Dunedin (Monday, 16 June 2014) – The Dunedin City Council has bought part of the former Corstorphine School to protect public walkways and provide a local reserve.

DCC Chief Executive Officer Dr Sue Bidrose announced the purchase today. Dr Bidrose says following questions and concerns being raised about public access across the former Corstorphine School site, discussions were held between the DCC and the property owner/developer, LA Milton Limited.

Following the discussions, an agreement was reached for the DCC to buy part of the former school site, for $495,000. This is the land which borders Lockerbie Street and links to the three nearby cul-de-sacs.

The remaining land, which borders Middleton Road and Lockerbie Street and contains the school buildings, remains with the current property owner.

“Because of this purchase, all existing walkways will be able to be retained, although in some cases they will follow slightly different routes,” Dr Bidrose says.

The DCC intends keeping some of the land as a much-needed reserve for the area. The remainder will be sold to help pay the purchase cost. The rest of the $495,000 cost will be met through the disposal of other surplus DCC properties.

Before a decision can be made as to whether the fence which blocks a popular walkway will be removed, or whether the walkway will be rerouted, the DCC needs to work out where the lots to be sold will be located.

“We need to be sure the final walkway routes are safe,” she says.

The DCC will consider putting in a gravel path to bypass the fence as an interim measure.

“This is a great outcome which will save some residents in nearby cul-de-sacs having to walk two to three kilometres to get to the Corstorphine Community Hub or the Middleton Road bus stop, 200m away. That sort of arrangement is the ‘curse of the cul-de-sacs,” she says.

Dr Bidrose says the Council has been briefed on the situation and is comfortable with the purchase.

“Linking cul-de-sacs to amenities and providing recreational reserves are both important services delivered by Councils and rightly so.”

ENDS

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