Eagleby residents call for more detail as fears rise second M1 will affect hundreds of properties

More than 100 properties will be affected when the next stage of the second M1 is built south of Brisbane. But some community groups are questioning the figures.

More than 100 properties will be affected when the next stage of the second M1 is built south of Brisbane.

State Government documents showed 104 properties would be directly affected by the approved second stage of the Coomera Connector, between Loganholme and Stapylton.

But the document said that figure could be closer to 394 properties if the state approved route changed or the road was widened in some sections.

Concerned southside residents called for more information about the planned road at two meetings in the past week.

They said they felt they had been left in the dark and were concerned that the road’s width had not been finalised and could affect more properties.

Eagleby resident Robert Livingstone, who helped design an alternative route that did not affect local houses, claimed a state investigation into six routes was a “sham” and that the state had failed to undertake adequate environmental surveys.

Eagleby resident Robert Livingstone discusses alternative routes for the second stage of the Coomera Connector with TMR officials. More than 100 properties will be affected when the next stage of the second M1 is built south of Brisbane. But some community groups are questioning the figures.

“Our proposed route is on high ground, instead of going through a flood plain, it only takes in some cane land instead of established houses and only needs one bridge compared to their three,” Mr Livingstone said.

“Our plan does not go through any environmentally sensitive areas and yet the engineers claim our route is the most expensive.

“The state’s gazetted route has to be built on 8m-high pillars for most of the 5.8km, while ours is a straight 3.7km.

“The Transport Department even got some glossy pamphlets delivered to every letterbox in Eagleby to try and sell their gazetted route as the best and cheapest.”

Six alternative routes to the TMR-approved route through Eagleby have been dismissed by the state government.

Residents aired their grievances to federal LNP MP for Forde, Bert van Manen, last week.

They told Mr van Manen many people in Eagleby were concerned no comprehensive environmental studies had been completed and some property owners had never been approached about the possible impacts on their land.

Mr van Manen said he would be writing to federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, who has also responded directly to some residents’ written statements since taking office in May.

However, a state Transport Department spokesperson said the number of lanes would be determined during a business case analysis, expected to be completed by the end of next year.

“The Coomera Connector future stages are currently only funded for the development of a business case,” the spokesperson said.

“The business case will allow the Queensland and Australian governments to make investment decisions regarding the future stages.

“The Coomera Connector gazetted corridor will accommodate up to six lanes to ensure capacity is protected well into the future.

“Fifteen homes in Eagleby were identified as being impacted by the gazetted corridor.

“We have contacted all impacted property owners.

“We are not aware of any lawsuits against land resumptions for the Coomera Connector.”

The Transport Department said the preferred alignment for the new road near Eagleby was identified after more than 10 years of studies and was formally approved in March 2019.

It said the approved route was expected to reduce the 2041 forecast daily traffic volumes on the M1 at the Logan River by 45,000 vehicles, while the next best alternative route only offered a reduction of 31,000 vehicles.