Why and how we access and acquire land
At times the Coordinator-General needs to access or acquire land. For example, land might be accessed to be surveyed to see if it is suitable for a development. Land might be acquired to deliver a major project or an infrastructure corridor to meet the needs of industry or regional communities. Access to land may be needed for the purpose of conducting environmental assessments, property surveys, soil tests and other such activities.
The Coordinator-General’s power to acquire and deal with land is set out in the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (refer to sections 82 and 125).
When the Coordinator-General acquires land through resumption, there is a formal process, including compensation, outlined in the Acquisition of Land Act 1967 (ALA).
Land resumption or often referred to as ‘compulsory acquisition’, can be done:
- with agreement – refer to section 15 of the ALA
- without agreement – refer to Division 2 of the ALA.
Find out how the land acquisition process works.
Learn more about the compensation process.
What land can be resumed and who is affected
The Coordinator-General can resume land with any type of tenure, including freehold. This includes but is not limited to:
- the whole of a property
- part of a property
- easement over a property
- native title rights and interests
- resource interests.
This may affect anyone with an interest in land, including:
- registered landowners
- easement holders
- lessees
- mortgagees
- native title holders
- resource interest holders.
What happens after land is resumed
When land is resumed by the Coordinator-General, it can be used for a project, authorised works or the development it was acquired for, including:
The Coordinator-General can also vest land or register the property in the name of another entity responsible for a project or authorised works, including:
- a local body
- another state government department.
The Coordinator-General may also do any of the following with resumed land:
- lease, or agree to lease, to any person
- sign an agreement with any person to carry out, own, operate and maintain any works or development
- sign an agreement with any person in relation to works or development
- sell or agree to sell if it is consistent with the purpose of the resumption.
If the resumed land is no longer required for the purpose it was resumed, the Governor in Council may decide how to deal with the land.
Land that is within an SDA is available for purchase by any party. Not all land in an SDA is owned by the Coordinator-General, and would be available for purchase by commercial negotiation. Purchase of land from the Coordinator-General is subject to approval by the Governor in Council and the intended use would need to support the implementation of the SDA’s development scheme.
Relevant resources
- Compulsory land acquisition frequently asked questions (
204.7 KB) - Responses to landholders frequently asked questions about State Development Areas ( 309.1 KB)
- Compensation claim form for claims made to the Office of the Coordinator-General ( 378.5 KB)
- Sample mortgagee consent letter ( 144.0 KB)