Bruce Highway construction resumptions: More than three times the expected number of homes face demolition

The full extent of impacts from Bruce Highway upgrades north of Brisbane has been revealed, as more than three times as many properties than initially reported, as well as a fire station and ambulance station all face demolition.

A fire brigade, an ambulance station and 90 homes could be bulldozed to make way for Bruce Highway expansion in Brisbane’s north.

The full extent of impacts from the upgrades has been revealed as more than three times as many properties than the 24 initially reported.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads has confirmed 90 letters had been sent to potentially impacted property owners for the whole of the upgrade project.

A department spokesman said about 30 of those were for private properties in Murrumba Downs and two-dozen homes in an entire street in a Griffin estate.

A newly-opened $6m fire station and an ambulance station will also be impacted as part of the motorway upgrades at Bracken Ridge.
It comes as homeowners in Griffin, many yet to receive the keys for their properties, were this week left devastated to receive the possibility of resumption letters.

Homeowners Charmaine and James Jackson had only moved into their Venture St property six weeks ago before they, and the entire street, were informed they could lose their homes.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, Mr Jackson was demanding answers.

New houses still in the construction process on Venture Drive at Griffin where owners were notified by email on Monday night their homes would be getting resumed for extensions to the Bruce Highway. Picture Lachie Millard

“I’d like to know who has been affected, the extent of what is being effected, and I want to know is how long these projects have taken in the past,” Mr Jackson said.

“It’s fine to say ‘oh it’s going to take five years or it will blow out or something’. I need to know evidence of existing projects, how long they have actually taken, so I can have some information to make a decision.”

Moreton Bay Councillor Jodie Shipway accused the state government of “hiding behind” the council.

“Council approved these housing lots in Griffin back in 2020 and when those plans were referred to the state government for assessment at that time, they didn’t say there was the potential for property resumptions in this area,” Cr Shipway wrote in a long post on her social media channel.

“It seems the state government need to come out and speak with residents and inform residents that this corridor wasn’t part of the gazetted corridors supplied to council prior to these homes being built or the land being developed.

“Hiding behind councils and councillors doesn’t show leadership and certainly doesn’t give our community any faith that collaboration is actually happening between our levels of government.”

First homeowners James and Charmaine Jackson who have two young children, in front of their home on Venture Drive at Griffin they only moved into six weeks ago and were notified by email on Monday night their homes would be getting resumed for extensions to the Bruce Highway. Picture Lachie Millard

The Bracken Ridge Fire and Rescue Station, which cost $6m when opened, and Sandgate Ambulance Station will also be impacted by the project.

The fire station was opened in 2020 to be strategically placed to main roads and the motorway to allow for a quick response.

The department said it would work closely with QFES and QAS to “move both stations to new locations nearby”.

“Both facilities will remain open until the new facilities are up and running,” a department statement read.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the project was “in the very early planning stages” and residents who could potentially be impacted had been the first to be notified – “as it should be”.

“We are committed to important upgrades like this which will see Queenslanders get home safer and sooner,” Mr Bailey said.