BATHURST Regional Council is proceeding with the compulsory acquisition of a property on the Bridle Track so it can widen the road near Monaghan's Bluff.
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The compulsory acquisition comes after a year of consultation with a solicitor over Lot 3 in DP252350.
The owner passed away intestate, meaning that no will was in place.
Council consulted with the solicitor dealing with the estate over a 12-month period, but was unable to achieve any agreement from potential beneficiaries or parties related to the estate.
Council hoped to secure the property for the purpose of road widening, which is part of the proposal to reinstate four-wheel drive access to Hill End via the Bridle Track by realigning the road around Monaghan's Bluff.
State Government funding has been provided to allow this project to go ahead.
In a report to the December ordinary meeting of council, the director of Engineering Services said that council had received advice indicating that the best way to resolve the matter of Lot 3 would be through the compulsory acquisition process.
He recommended that council proceed with this process and councillors voted in support of this.
Speaking to the Western Advocate, council's general manager David Sherley said that it had become difficult to acquire the property.
"You don't go for compulsory if you don't have to, but we've just not been able to get answer," he said.
"We need the land for developing this infrastructure and given that we have not been able to get an agreement on the purchase ... we're now seeking through the state government to be able to compulsorily acquire it, and the government has to give approval to it."
Should the approval be granted, council will need to purchase the property for what it is determined to be worth through valuation.
"Once that approval is given, we then proceed to transfer that section we are acquiring into the council's name to allow us to construct the roadway," Mr Sherley said.
