The Waitaki District Council reserves and other Land Empowering Bill seeks to end uncertainty over the 22-section, 5.8ha subdivision on Cape Wanbrow overlooking Oamaru Harbour, town and the coast.
The subdivision was proposed by the council in 2006, but has been dogged by disputes, including over the status of the land designated reserve land under the Reserves Act.
The council believed that was a mistake made in 1937 after the land was originally set aside in 1885 by the Government as endowment land for the Oamaru borough. As endowment land, it could be developed, with up to $3 million in projected profit going towards the $10.3 million cost of the Opera House redevelopment.
Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said yesterday the Bill - which clarifies the status of the Forrester Heights and also includes land at Palmerston and Oamaru - had passed its first reading on Wednesday night with support from major parties, referred to the local government and environment select committee.
The committee is chaired by National MP Nicky Wagner and Mrs Dean is a member.
The select committee would advertise for public submissions on the Bill.
These are usually open for six weeks.
Mrs Dean said she would ensure it was well advertised in local newspapers and would also encourage submissions from those both in support and opposed to the Bill. Those making submissions could also ask to appear before the committee.
She would also be encouraging the select committee, because it was a local issue, to ensure technology was available to those who wanted to make verbal submissions to do that from Oamaru, either by phone or video conferencing. Once considered by the committee, it would then go back to Parliament for second and a final third reading.
The issue had been before Parliament in the past as part of the national Reserves and Other Land Disposal (ROLD) Bill, but was separated out when it became bogged down.
Mrs Dean said those who made submissions as part of the ROLD Bill should resubmit those, if they wished.
The other land included in the Bill is part of the Palmerston Showgrounds, which the council wants to sell to the present lessees, and a small parcel of land in Oamaru, which it has already sold, whose reserve status it wants to revoke.
