Allister raises concerns over disposal of Ballee lands
30 March 2012
TUV Leader and local MLA Jim Allister has questioned why in the long-running saga over ''the Ballee lands" the Department of Social Development has moved to disposal by offering the lands for sale by tender rather than negotiating resale to interested former owners, and failing that, through sale by public auction.
"The saga of the Ballee lands, which has rumbled on for years, has had many strange twists and turns. Throughout a recurrent theme has been how the former owners have been treated. Now, having rejected at least one offer from a former owner, the department has proceeded to offer the lands by public tender. This is not fair to those from whom the lands were needlessly vested in the first place. Nor, does it permit the degree of transparency required, particularly given the controversial history which has afflicted this matter.
"It is my understanding at least one significant offer was made by a former owner, but rejected. Now, if by tender lesser offers are received, will one of these be accepted and, if so, won't that compound the injustice done to the former owners. Even public auction would have kept the former owners in a better position.
"I am most unhappy about how the department has conducted this matter. Accordingly, I have tabled this Priority Written Question to the DSD Minister. I trust I will get a clear and frank answer:-
To ask the Minister for Social Development in respect of 'the Ballee lands' i) why the department did not negotiate resale to the former owners, given it had at least one such offer, instead of moving to disposal through offers by tender; ii) how this course is compatible with the LPS guidelines on disposal of surplus land; iii) will the land be disposed of by tender at a price below the LPS valuation, given that an offer from a former owner was refused on this basis; iv) if the offers by tender fall below the offer rejected from the aforesaid former owner, what will the department do; v) why, given considerations of transparency, did the department chose to proceed by way of offers by tender, rather than sale by public auction; and vi) will the department undertake to make public the amounts offered by tender.
