Community Land Management Plans

Community land is land owned (or under the care and control of) a council that is kept primarily for community use — not for sale or private development.​

Examples include:​

• Public parks and reserves​
• Sporting grounds​
• Community halls​
• Libraries​
• Foreshore areas​
• Cemeteries​

Under the Local Government Act 1999, Councils must prepare and adopt a plan for all land they classify as community land.​ Council is also required to have a register that identifies all the land classified as community land.

Roads are not Community Land​.

Also, any land that has been excluded or revoked from community land classification by Council resolution.​

A Community Land Management Plan (CLMP) is a document prepared by a Council (in consultation with the community) to explain how it will manage and use land that is classified as community land.​

A CLMP ensures that:

• The land is protected for public benefit.
• The purpose of the land is clearly defined.
• Any leases or licences are transparent.
• The community has input before major decisions are made.
• Provides extra statutory step prior to Council disposing of land.

In simple terms, it answers:​

• • What is this land for?​
  • What can and can’t happen on it?​
  • How will it be looked after?​
  • Can it be leased or licensed to someone else?​

Most plans include:

Description of the Land

• • Location
  • Size
  • Current use
  • Zoning

Permitted Uses

The plan outlines what can happen on the land, such as:

• • Sporting activities
  • Community events
  • Playgrounds
  • Buildings (if appropriate)

Management Principles

This covers:

• • Maintenance responsibilities
  • Environmental considerations
  • Access and equity
  • Future development controls
  • Performance targets and how the council proposes to measure its performance against its objectives and performance targets

Purpose of the Land

For example:

• • Public recreation
  • Environmental conservation
  • Community services
  • This is important because activities must align with this purpose.

Leasing and Licensing Provision

It sets out:

• • Whether leases are allowed
  • Maximum lease terms
  • Conditions that must be met
  • For example, a sporting club lease must align with the land’s community purpose.

Council currently has 16 CLMPS, adopted between 2004 – 2024, the majority of which are over 10 years old

A review is required to ensure the plans remain relevant to current community needs, complies with the Local Government Act 1999 and aligns with Council strategies, policies and plans. ​

The updated CLMP’s will deliver a number of improvements, including:

• Standard format with simpler language.
• Alignment with Council’s Strategic Plans including the Reconciliation Action Plan.
• Tailored objectives setting out the use and functionality of the land.
• Meaningful performance targets and measures.

As part of the review of the current 16 CLMP’s, we benchmarked with other Council’s CLMP’s and approaches and also reviewed the categories and grouped together land parcels with similar purposes. We also wanted to capture land such as buffer zones, which aren’t currently included in the CLMP’s.

The new proposed CLMP’s include:

1. 1. Buffer & Controlled Access Reserves - To create a separation between roads, pathways, and nearby properties, helping to reduce noise and wind while enhancing the visual appeal of the area. Controlled access reserves are held to restrict both legal and physical access between roads, reserves and nearby properties.
   e.g. Buffer Reserve Long Island Road, New Bridge Reserve Mulgundawah Road, Theatre Lane Walkway.

1. 2. Parks, gardens and reserves - Provide open space across the Council area to provide opportunities for play and leisure including but not limited to playgrounds, trails, formal gardens and memorials.
   e.g. Diamond Park, Steel Road Reserve Callington, Murray Park.

1. 3. Sport & Recreation Reserves - The land is held to provide sporting and recreation facilities that address the needs of the community, supporting both competitive and social activities for a variety of user groups, whether formal or informal.
   e.g. Johnstone Park, Murray Bridge Bowling Club & Croquet Club.

1. 4. Town heritage sites – To enhance Enhancing and protecting heritage while also providing facilities and service for the community.
   e.g. Roundhouse, Wharf Precinct

1. 5. Conservation & natural reserves – The land is held by Council to restore, maintain and protect land that is not heavily developed and can be and is being revegetated.
   e.g. Chapman Bore Plantation, Jervois Road Reserve, Morphett Flora & Fauna Reserve.

1. 6. Riverfront recreational reserves - Riverfront reserves are held by the Council to protect their environmental integrity, provide recreational opportunities for the community including trails, wharfs and jetties. 
   e.g. Avoca Dell Reserve, Baker Reserve, Swanport Reserve.

1. 7. Wetlands, river and lake frontage reserves - To restore and maintain the natural ecological features of our wetlands, river and lake frontage reserves, aiming to benefit both the environment and the local community.
   e.g. Lagoon Wetlands Rocky Gully, Monteith Cliff Reserve, Riverglades Community Wetlands.

1. 8. Operational and other land - The land is held by Council to provide facilities and  services for the community such as the Local Government Centre, community halls and centres, cemeteries and drainage reserves and dams.
   e.g. Cemeteries, Irena Court Drainage Reserve, Local Government Centre.

1. 9. Murray Bridge Showgrounds - For the benefit of the local community and visitors, it provides a highly accessible, multi-purpose facility that supports sporting, agricultural, horticultural, social and cultural events in line with Council’s strategic aim to promote recreation, community engagement and regional development.

1. 10. Wildens Way - A Leaseholds Zone, currently subject to long-term residential shack leases.

1. 11. Sturt Reserve - Providing a vibrant hub for community, recreational, cultural and tourism activities. Its primary purpose is to strengthen connections between the town centre and the Murray River, to celebrate Ngarrindjeri and post-colonial heritage, and to deliver diverse spaces for play, events and leisure.

No, it does not change how our parks, reserves or community spaces can be used but rather ensures that the land is protected for the use of the community.

No, all existing users are able to keep using Council land as they are now.

Yes, Council currently has over 250 parcels of Community Land, spread across its entire Council area.  All of the land that is classified as Community Land is contained in a Community Land Register, available at FINAL-Community-Land-Register-April-2024.pdf

The Act protects community land through strict classification rules, limitations on disposal, mandatory management planning, controlled leasing arrangements, and strong public consultation requirements. Together, these mechanisms ensure that community land is safeguarded as a long-term public asset.

Your feedback will be collated and provided in a public report to an upcoming Council meeting.

Elected members will be provided with the feedback through a public report to an upcoming Council meeting, where a decision will be made to adopt all or some of the CLMP’s, or if major changes are required, further community consultation will be carried out.  

You can view all 11 draft Community Land Management Plan documents on the Let's Talk page - Lets Talk Murray Bridge | Community Land Management Plan

You can provide feedback for the draft Community Land Management Plan through the survey link on the Lets Talk page - Lets Talk Murray Bridge | Community Land Management Plan