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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 6 Hansard (23 May) . . Page.. 1756 ..

Mr Humphries (continuing):

The Rural Lease policy requires that leases are viable holdings and acknowledges that in Pialligo small holdings may be viable for particular rural uses. The leases in Pialligo, previously referred to, were considered to be viable recognising the size and nature of neighbouring, comparable land holdings.

(2) Pialligo is a specialised "rural" area and viable block sizes are much smaller than typical rural blocks. The previously very small residential block on Block 2 Section 7 was too small to sustain a viable rural activity. The additional land granted to this lessee created a viable block consistent with other land uses in the area. The area to be granted to the tenant of Block 3 is also large enough to sustain a viable rural activity.

(3) Prior to the lease for Block 2 being approved the lessee was required to lodge a comprehensive Property Management Agreement (PMA) and Environmental Survey which was acceptable to the Agriculture and Landcare Section of the Department and the Lease Administration Branch. This agreement was approved and the lessee is required to abide by its terms and conditions.

The tenant of Block 3 has been advised that they will also be required to lodge an acceptable PMA and Environmental Survey prior to any new lease being issued.

(4) The land was not made available for public tender as the two parties in question met all the criteria as set out in the rural lease policy for the grant of land. These criteria require that the applicant must:

. be the current occupant of the land which is the subject of the application (eg the licensee), or the lessee or occupier of the land adjacent to the land which is the subject of the application;

. demonstrate the capacity to manage the land in accordance with the proposed terms of the lease;

. pay the land rent determined by the Territory;

. manage the land in accordance with the agreement; and

. pay the fees and charges applicable.

(5) The land remaining in Section 31 is a strip of land approximately 370m x 70m (2.6 hectares), adjacent to Pialligo Avenue. As this land is not currently occupied it would generally be offered for sale subject to the land being considered suitable for leasing. Applicants for the land would have to meet the criteria relevant to rural land.

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