Movement on Derby depot

•  The Advertiser’s page 1 of 12 months ago.

By Tony Scott,
July 07, 2021

A resolution to the debacle over the Dorset Council’s building of a depot on land at Derby it did not own could be in sight.

The issue came to light in June last year, when it became clear the depot had been built incorporating 30 square metres of an active mining lease.

The Council said at the time it had applied for a boundary adjustment to accommodate the building’s footprint, but the application had not been progressed and the Parks and Wildlife Service said it had issued “multiple directions to cease work and vacate the site”. 

Eventually the Council did comply with the stop work and said it would pursue a retrospective transfer.    

Mayor Greg Howard said the Council appeared to have jumped the gun in building the depot before completion of the land transfer.

“Adjustment of the mining lease boundary is a minor admin detail which could be fixed with the stroke of a pen.”

However, it’s understood the lease holder does not support further adjustment.

Minister for Parks Jacquie Petrusma said the matter was progressing.

“The Crown has written to the Council offering a long-term lease solution for the depot site, with a minor amendment to the mining lease.”

“This solution was accepted in principle by the council in February 2021,” she said in answer to a question from the Legislative Council member for McIntyre, Tania Rattray.

The acceptance of a lease on the land is a change in stance by the Council, which had been seeking an title transfer.

However, Mrs Petrusma went on to say that the mining lease changes were still subject of discussion between Mineral Resources Tasmania and the lease holder Derek Hayes.

That could be a sticking point depending on the attitude of Mr Hayes.

Mrs Petrusma also said “The Crown is committed to resolving the matter as soon as possible subject to the agreement of the relative parties.”

She also said departmental staff were dealing with the matter as part of their ordinary work rather than at extra cost. 

Dorset Council had expected it would be facing extra cost.

In its last annual report it said: “Council may be subject to legal proceedings which may result in possible penalties from the construction of council’s depot on Crown Land at Derby.” 

However, there seemed to be no allowance for a penalty in the Dorset budget released last week.

Councillor Howard said he wasn’t holding his breath for a resolution, as the stumbling block to date had been Mineral Resources Tasmania and not Mr Hayes.