Bahrs Scrub landowners fight ‘unfair’ environmental corridor

Residents from one of the fastest growing southeast suburbs claim they have been caught up in an unfair development Catch 22 and are taking their angst to the streets.

RESIDENTS from one of the fastest growing southeast suburbs claim they have been caught up in a development Catch 22.

Bahrs Scrub landowners say Logan City Council and the state government have treated them unfairly by allowing small-lot subdivisions on select sections of a major road while barring development on other parts of the same road.

DEVELOPER SUBMITS PLANS TO BUILD IN WILDLIFE CORRIDOR

SEWERAGE PUMP WORKS AT BAHRS SCRUB

The landowners said an environmental corridor zoning, or “overlay”, on their Wuraga Rd properties had stymied their prospects for selling, leaving their blocks in a valuation rut.

They said the inequity arose when about 30m on the northern side of Wuraga Rd was zoned environmental corridor but the rest of that side of the road was developed into small-lot housing by a range of companies.

The southern side of Wuraga Rd, where the corridor is about 200m wide and 2km long, is classified as emerging community and has a ban on any small-lot development.

Bahrs Scrub landowner Fran Van Gilst said she and about 20 other landowners felt they had been unfairly treated after being precluded from selling their acreage for lucrative small-lot estates.

She said the wildlife corridor had been altered more than once and developers treated it as a bargaining prospect with one submitting plans to build two houses on it in 2018.

One of the new housing estates being built at Bahrs Scrub in Logan’s Division 6. PHOTOS: JUDITH KERR

“We feel trapped because we own freehold land which the council has subsequently designated as a biodiversity corridor,” she said.

“This corridor has been moved, altered and compromised on a number of occasions, suggesting that it was not placed for environmental or scientific purposes.

“We can’t sell our land to developers because parts are zoned for an environmental corridor but the council won’t buy it either after it said our land was not a priority to purchase.

“Now we are being built out, living in the middle of a dense housing estate when we originally bought here for an acreage lifestyle.”

SUBSCRIBE FOR $1

Last week, the council said land zoning on Wuraga Rd had not changed since it was first designated a main east-west road in the emerging suburb in 2013.

“Most properties along Wuraga Road at Bahrs Scrub have not been identified by council as priority properties for environmental acquisition,” the council said.

The landowners’ anger was heightened in October when the council used ratepayer money to buy 47 hectares in nearby Belivah Rd, less than 2km from Wuraga Rd, claiming it was for conservation.

Dairy Creek Rd, off Wuraga Rd, where there are more than five new housing estates being built. PHOTO: JUDITH KERR

Council director strategy and sustainability David Hansen said, at the time, the Belivah Rd land had to be conserved as it was koala habitat, contained rare tree species and would form a citywide green infrastructure network.

“Council has done extensive research and sought expert advice which confirmed this site is a critical habitat for multiple endangered, vulnerable, near threatened and locally significant species,” he said.

“Council’s acquisition of this land is a responsible step in protecting the local environment and its preservation will contribute significantly to the conservation value of the surrounding area.”

This week, the landowners decided to take action and joined the local government election campaign hammering in their own signs alerting candidates to their anger.

For the first time, the high development suburb of Bahrs Scrub will be included in Logan’s Division 6, being contested by seven candidates.

The landowners put up signs asking candidates in Division 6 what they will do to help long-time residents being squeezed out by the new small-lot housing estates.

The landowners said protecting and providing safe wildlife habitat was the responsibility of state and local governments and should not fall on the shoulders of individual, private landowners.

Mrs Van Gilst said only mayoral candidate Brett Raguse and candidate Shane Thornthwaite had met with landowners and both promised to investigate the Wuraga Rd planning debacle if elected.

She said it was only fair the council used the environmental levy, which raised more than $9.2 million last year, to purchase the environmental corridor.

But last year, council officers told the landowners there were insufficient funds to do that despite all ratepayers and developers paying environmental levies.