Council has entered Laman Street territory again, after deciding to sell parcels of land at the end of Glovers Lane.
The sale of 29 and 31 Laman Street has sparked an outcry from the Cooks Hill Community Group which says there’s been no community consultation for the sale of the site, which has been owned and used by the public for 38 years.
The group points to the environmental and heritage significance of the land, as a green site sitting across from St Andrew’s Church.
Glenn Burgess from the community group says it’s classification as “operational land” may allow it to be written off for a quick profit, but it does not reflect the true value of the land to the city.
Some Cooks Hill residents had wanted the land for a community garden.
The council faced two years of outcry from community groups during the removal of fig trees on the same street.
This is truly appalling. What other long standing open spaces across the city are on Council’s fire sale list? And the lack of public consultation makes a mockery of their so called ‘Engagement’ policy.
Why are we surprised that McWho wants to sell off land? Our lord mayor can only profit, or help his mates if he’s authorising development or selling off land! Seriously, who lets a developer become mayor?? He’s admitted he’ll only do 4 yrs…. Brace yourself Newcastle.
The process behind the sale of this land is clearly dodgey. The council completed a report of its assets which could be sold off, and it clearly states that sale of any land would come about through consultations with the community. The council says one thing, but does another. The debate about the issue should have been witnessed by the public, but the public gallery was ejected from the room for the entire debate when it should have only left during discussion on financial aspects. Mcloy is a bully, who bends the rules to hasten the process of sale, which will result in yet more terrace houses, more people, more cars, in the highest density suburb in newcastle.