Site history to affect sale

The search is on for the successor of Ann Kirkwood who sold the Miranda St site in Stratford, where The Mill Liquorsave currently is, to the Stratford council in the 1920s.

Stratford district councillors at their policy and services committee meeting heard that for council to sell or redevelop the strategic site, the land first needs to be offered back to the former owner or her successor at market value in accordance with the Public Works Act 1981, and its reserve status be revoked.

The Stratford borough purchased the land in the 1920s for the storage, distribution and transmission of electricity. Used for a variety of purposes through the years, the site and building in 1997 was leased to The Mill. The current lease expires next year February.

"It is highly unlikely the site will ever revert to the purpose for which it is reserved.

"The land has strategic commercial value and there is potential to either develop it as a stand-alone commercial site or amalgamate it with the adjoining council-owned properties or sell or redevelop as a larger site," property officer Neil Cooper stated at the meeting.

Neil told the Stratford Press that there are no plans currently on the table for any of the above, but that the lifting of the constraints is with an eye on the future.

Councillor Kevin Squire said he would want to see the land remain with the council as it has strategic future value.