'Vindictive council cost me $170,000': Landowner

THE Lismore Heights landowner, whose property has been affected by a toxic landslip, says the council has "treat me like an idiot”.

VINDICTIVE COUNCIL: Ken Allport at the excavation of the landslip and reformation of the embankment along Beardow St, where historic industrial waste including coke and slag like materials, as well as bonded asbestos, was encountered. Mr Allport is claims Lismore City Council is hounding him and he's spent more than $170,000 in legal, engineering and repatriation fees. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

A LISMORE Heights landowner has claimed the council is persecuting him through the NSW Land & Environment Court over the remediation of his block which was affected by the 2017 flood.

Ken Allport owns land impacted by the landslip on Beardow St and had hoped to build a house there and sell two sub-divided blocks before the flood.

But the sales fell through after the landslip and his house plans are now on hold.

Earlier this year Mr Allport asked the council to purchase the land, as he believed the matter had cost more than $170,000 for legal, engineering and repatriation costs.

But on May 13, the council took Mr Allport to the NSW Land & Environment Court, with the matter scheduled to heard on May 23.

Mr Allport has since accused the council of running a vendetta against him

"This is a very vindictive council, they have hounded and hounded me and I am feeling very persecuted by them," he said.

"I have had three meetings with council and tried to talk to them about this situation and they do not respond to me and treat me like an idiot."

Mr Allport's legal representative from a Sydney law firm, who asked not to be named, said his client had invited the council, on "at least five occasions", to meet and discuss the situation.

"None of these invitations have been responded to... instead they have taken him to the Land & Environment Court.," he said.

"On at least three occasions Ken has appeared before council at their meetings and he has given them documents which clearly outline this matter and state he is prepared to meet with council to discuss the matter."

Mr Allport's legal representative said the council was alleging to the Land & Environment Court that he denied them access to the property.

"They said they required access by May 7 and Ken gave them access on May 5 but they filed the L&E court notice on the 6th," he said.

"They have given Ken an insanely restrictive amount of time to respond."

A council spokesman said they were unable to comment as the matter was before the court.