Dead-end road sparks legal threat as Beenleigh businesses unite against town square

A group of businesses is threatening legal action against a southeast council after their town’s main thoroughfare was permanently blocked off to create a town square which they say is a hot spot for criminals.

Pennisi's Arcade is left undeveloped in City Road, Beenleigh. Picture: Renae Droop

A group of businesses is threatening legal action against a southeast council after their town’s main thoroughfare was permanently blocked off and traffic redirected to make way for a grassy square.

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The businesses have complained the Beenleigh Town Square, built in 2018, effectively severed major roads, stopped foot traffic, created parking chaos and wiped out local trade.

They say the uncovered square, in front of the Beenleigh Court House, is intimidating and has become a hangout for smokers waiting for their court cases to be heard.

Their complaints to the council about the severed roads, confusing road redirections and parking chaos were coupled with rising anger over the town’s central shopping arcade being closed for more than three years.

But the final straw was when the town’s well-placed Zambezi’s Cafe, opposite the town square and next to the ill-fated arcade, closed temporarily.

The historic Savages Arcade on City Rd, has been closed for renovations since 2017, when owner Tony Pennisi said he was going to overall the site.

Pennisi's Arcade is left undeveloped in City Road, Beenleigh. Picture: Renae Droop

Pennisi's Arcade in City Road, Beenleigh. Picture: Renae Droop

Last week, Mr Pennisi said he had scrapped his initial overhaul and spent an additional $80,000 drafting new plans but would not rebuild or reopen until he had a tenant for the arcade.

“I’ve got all the graphics done and we tried to do pre-leasing but we’ve had no success,” he said.

“The problem is that what people want to pay per square metre and what it costs to actually develop don’t add up to a financial proposition.

“There’s no use developing it if you don’t have any tenants and it’s not hard to envisage what it would be like as I have spent $10,000 on 3D images.”

Beenleigh Town Square is in front of the courthouse with James Street to the right. AAP Image/Renae Droop

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Logan City Council changed traffic flow through the town in 2017 to make the square viable.

It said there had been extensive community consultation and it had launched projects to kickstart trade in the centre, where more than 50 businesses have fled over the past two years.

It said it had no control over the reopening of the historic arcade but it expected support for the traders to be discussed during this month’s budget talks.

“There was community consultation and with local business before and during the construction of the Beenleigh Town Square,” the council said in a statement.

“Council has no ability to regulate or enforce private businesses to open.”

The council allocated $5 million for “priority projects” including an outdoor cinema, after a 2017 think tank for area and has also paid for a dedicated Beenleigh Place Manager.

But despite the council’s best intentions, business in the town has dwindled according to former restaurant owner Vanitha Lang.

Vanitha Lang is the owner of Kasturys, in James Street, Beenleigh. Her business struggling because the road is now a dead end. Picture: Renae Droop

Mrs Lang said the council had failed in its duty of care to her as a local business after it closed off James and Kent streets, rediverted traffic from George St and made a confusing one-way system along Alamein St.

She said her Indian restaurant business had suffered so much since the road works that she was forced to close and reopen as a coffee shop.

“The council has refused to consult me about the plans for the future and never told me they were going to permanently close off the road,” she said.

“While road works were being done in 2017, the then councillor even told me to expect an increase in trade in the area – which could not be further from the truth.

“Now, because the road is closed, the street is nothing more than a carpark for the courts during the day and a dead-end at night.”

Her complaints were echoed by local dentist Graeme Morris.

“The whole concept is so bad that even markets can’t make it in the square,” he said.

“There is enough room to reinstate a left turn from George St so we can once again connect two of Beenleigh’s main streets.

“A former councillor just did not want to find a way and made excuses around congestion but allowing a left turn from George St would improve the flow.”

The affected businesses said there were plans to one day turn their informal group into a commercial cooperative similar to a local chamber of commerce to fight the town square roadblock.