IT has been going on for way too long.

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But the 6 hectares of land sold by the NSW State Government in 2016 is now on its way back into community hands.

Catherine Cusack MLC told the NSW parliament “The Berejiklian Government has identified an avenue in which to legally acquire the former Department of Education site.

“The letter giving legally required notice of good faith negotiations and compulsory acquisition has been sent to the land owner under section 10A of the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991.

“Either way, through voluntary sale or compulsory acquisition, the land will be returned to public ownership where it belongs so we can protect it into the future, she said.

Jaimie Abbott Liberal Candidate for Port Stephens told News Of The Area, “The Berejiklian Government has identified an avenue in which to legally acquire the former Department of Education site.

“The letter giving legally required notice of good faith negotiations and compulsory acquisition has been sent to the land owner under section 10A of the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991.”

The Government is now in the process of the required 6 month period already.

It will now simply come down to a matter of time.

“This should never have been sold, but I’m so glad we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Either way, through voluntary sale or compulsory acquisition, the land will be returned to public ownership where it belongs so we can protect it into the future.”

Council and the community have lobbied to have the land returned to the public and to see this unique habitat preserved into the future.

Abbott went on the say, “I really want to thank my fellow Port Stephens Councillors for coming together in bipartisan and supporting my motion which sought the land to be returned to public ownership and the State Government to bear the entire cost as so the ratepayers of Port Stephens were not out of pocket.”

“I said from the start that I will call out the government when necessary.

“I want to thank my friend Premier Berejiklian for listening and taking a collaborative approach to rectify the issue and for putting our community first, she said.

This is a real win for people power in Port Stephens, which will protect a valuable ecologically diverse space into the future.

By Marian SAMPSON