Call for Lytton Rd ‘land grab’ to be referred to the CCC

PROTESTERS on the widening of Lytton Rd are calling on the State Government to refer the project to the Crime and Corruption Commission.

Demolition of one of the homes on Lytton Rd, East Brisbane.

OPPONENTS of the Wynnum Rd Corridor Upgrade are calling on the State Government to refer the project to the Crime and Corruption Commission.

In a petition put forward by Camp Hill resident Ian Curr for protest group Lytton Road Is Wide Enough, the group asks the State Government to refer the matter to CCC to investigate the propriety of the loss of heritage, change of purpose of Mowbray Park and wholesale resumptions.

The group claim more land is being acquired than needed for extra traffic lanes and the project is “an unwanted high-rise development in the guise of roadworks”.

“The most optimistic figures suggest the project will cut only two minutes off the journey to the CBD,” the group said.

“There are new bottlenecks being created by the project – one of them is at Canning Bridge.”

The petition calls on the Government to intervene and stop Brisbane City Council from proceeding further in a bid to:

■ Save Mowbray Park, its trees and adjoining cottage from encroachment by council road widening; and

■ Require Council to adopt a co-ordinated traffic/infrastructure plan for the area.

The brick cottage next to Mowbray Park on Lytton Rd mentioned in the petition. Both Greens Councillor Jonathan Sri and Council’s Leader of the Opposition Peter Cumming have called for the cottage to be saved.

In February last year Councillor Jonathan Sri (The Gabba) criticised the project claiming council would rezone the prime real estate through East Brisbane not needed for the widening of Lytton Rd to allow multistorey apartments and onsell land to developers for a profit.

At the time a council spokesman said there were no plans to rezone land acquired for the project.

“Surplus land bordering Mowbray Park will be delivered as parkland to ensure there is no net loss of parkland when delivering this upgrade,” the spokesman said.

“Any land not required for the project and not delivered as parkland will be sold, in accordance with council policy for surplus land.”

The petition closes on March 21. To sign, go to parliament.qld. gov.au /work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details? id=2876

One of the homes on Laidlaw Pde, East Brisbane, which had been shifted to the back of the property by previous owners to avoid resumption was completely resumed by Brisbane City Council and moved off site for the road widening project.

Homes removed from Lytton Rd, East Brisbane.