We post this article here because Logan council wishes to buy up land on Chambers Flat Road Munruben to widen a connecting road and build a new bridge. Yet the proposed road and bridge is on a floodplain. After the 2011 flood banks and council devalued the land forcing people with big mortgages to walk off. At least one of the residents along Chambers flat Road remains homeless today.
Logan Council claims that this road is to “(improve) flood immunity along the road corridor by raising the road level and constructing a new bridge over Norris Creek up to eight metres higher than the existing level. ” Yet it is more likely that Logan council is using public monies to build infrastructure for their developer maaates.
Here is an article written by Judith Kerr from Quest.
__oOo__
Residents say Logan City Council land compensation package ‘unfair and under market value’
RESIDENTS living on one of southeast Queensland’s major arterial roads say they fear being ripped off in deals over land resumptions.
Logan City Council has offered more than 30 property owners compensation packages, of up to $20,000 for 1000sq m, for land fronting Chambers Flat Rd.
Council alerted residents it was widening a 3.8km stretch of the road from Kings Way to Mt Lindesay Hwy, in September.
Detailed designs in March showed council would have to buy land on both sides of the road for the works.
But residents Ken and Harriet Aitken and son Anthony believe the offer of $20,000 for 1000sq m of their acreage lot was unfair and under market value.
“They want our 1000sq m tree-filled bush for $20,000 and yet down the road a developer charges $250,000 for a 600sq m block. How does that maths make sense?” Anthony Aitken said.
“A lot of this trunk road infrastructure is paid for by the developers who are buying these acreage lots and bringing suburbia to Chambers Flat and Park Ridge.
“It happened with Yarrabilba and Greenbank as well.
“We have kept lots of trees on the property and built a buffer to the road.
“It’s not fair for those who have done the right thing and moved here to be on acreage only to have government decide on the outcome of your community and home at a confidential council meeting.
“If we want to pursue this in a court of law it would be $100,000 in legals costs and a strong chance of losing due to the laws contained in the Land Valuation and Land Resumption Acts.
“We want Chambers Flat Rd to be upgraded and made safer but it should be decided with community consultation and transparent decision making.”
Logan City Council said it had consulted residents and was still in consultation with affected land owners over the compensation figures.
Council’s project team said it worked with residents and property owners and all feedback was considered and accommodated in the design where possible.
A community drop-in session was held in October to give residents the chance to view the designs and ask questions.
Council said the road alignment would “generally stay the same” but the new upgraded road would be wider and higher in certain locations.
“No resumptions have yet been commenced and landowners impacted by the project have been asked to negotiate with council,” a council statement said.
“All aspects of any land acquisition to support the project, including determination of compensation, are in accordance with council’s obligations under the Acquisition of Land Act 1967 (Qld).”
Works are scheduled to begin this year on the project, which is estimated to cost $36 million.
Updated project plans showing the 3.8km Chambers Flat Road upgrade alignment and intersection designs are now available on Council’s website at logan.qld.gov.au
CHAMBERS FLAT REAL ESTATE
Suburb Information
Postcode: 4133
Part of: Logan City Council
The size of Chambers Flat is about 21.9 square kilometres.
It has 10 parks covering nearly 6 per cent of total area.
The population of Chambers Flat in 2011 was 2463 people.
By 2016, the population was 2316 showing a population decline of 6 per cent in the area during that time.
The predominant age group in Chambers Flat is 50-59 years.
Households in Chambers Flat are primarily couples with children and are likely to be repaying $1800 — $2399 per month on mortgage repayments.
In general, people in Chambers Flat work in a trades occupation.
In 2011, 76.2 per cent of the homes in Chambers Flat were owner-occupied compared with 74.5 per cent in 2016. (source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)
There have been 19 houses sold in Chambers Flat in the past 12 months with a median sale price of $625,000, up 7.41 per cent annually.
It takes on average 64 days to sell with vendor discounting of -10.35%.
Judith Kerr
Quest newspapers
3 June 2019