A contentious double block of vacant land at Lake Heights, which has a heritage listed fig tree on it, has returned to the market.
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The property at 6 and 8 Grand View Parade, Lake Heights will be auctioned on June 27.
The property features double level blocks, approximately 1262sqm combined area and is zoned R2 Low Density Residential.
Last December, at the last minute the state government postponed a scheduled auction of the property.
The NSW Land and Housing Corporation postponed the auction after residents expressed concern about the loss of the tree.
According to the listing, there is a 149 Zoning Certificate showing that the tree is protected and at no stage can it be removed.
A Land and Housing Corporation spokesperson told the Mercury this week the "local council was consulted about potential alternatives for the site, with no agreements reached.".
"The original auction date was delayed to allow more time to consider alternatives," the spokesperson said.
"Throughout this process the agents managing the land sale have been advising potential buyers that the tree is protected, as a condition of sale and a disclosure requirement, while also providing an arborist's report showing the tree protection zone.
"The sale process will now proceed to auction in accordance with these contractual arrangements."
Has any consideration been given to not selling the land, and instead donating it for use as a park?
"LAHC is unaware if a formal request has been made to consider this option - any proceeds from the sale of public lands are returned to fund social housing," the spokesperson said.
Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery told the Mercury last year the ficus is on the heritage register.
"I've made it very clear that whoever buys it is buying the encumbrances that are there," he said.
"It's protected under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 - also the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 as habitat for the Grey Throated Flying Fox and possible Aboriginal cultural values."
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Peter Maywald, convenor of Wollongong City Council's Neighbourhood Forum 7 said residents are concerned that any development on the blocks of land will have a detrimental effect on the health of the fig tree.
"Residents think that it is incredulous to believe that any development could be undertaken without damaging the fig tree," he said.
"(This is) given that its canopy extends to the boundaries of the blocks of land below it, the root system spreads extensively across the two blocks up for sale and the lower branches are not more than three metres above the ground.
"The availability of the blocks for sale is as a result of a historical planning mistake when the Lake Heights Estate was developed in the 1950's. The parcel of land below the fig tree should have been earmarked as public space."
Lou Niceski from Elders Real Estate Wollongong is the selling agent on behalf of the state government.
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