Councils want Government to act over Landcorp farm deal

The Government has been asked to help keep a 1200ha Landcorp farm near Wellington in public ownership.

Landcorp has continued to sell farms since Labour took office in 1999, despite Prime Minister Helen Clark highlighting National's asset sales programme on TV3's leaders' debate. The Cabinet is expected to decide before the election if it will intervene in the sale of Waitangirua farm.

The property borders Belmont Regional Park which, although a working farm, is commonly used by recreational groups.

Former Labour MP and Greater Wellington Regional councillor Chris Laidlaw said his council and the Porirua City Council had put a proposal to the Government in recent weeks. He said Landcorp had offered to sell the farm to the council, but it was too expensive, with the price appearing to be based on subdivision.

Landcorp chief executive Chris Kelly said Landcorp would look to sell a farm owing to its location or if the value of the land outweighed its ongoing use as a farm. He said that was the situation with Waitangirua.