Trinder Park residents told to fix houses ahead of land resumptions for Olympic fast train line

Southside residents whose homes will be ripped down for a train line extension before the Olympics have been told to spruce up their houses to get better compo packages.

The Beenleigh to Gold Coast train line as it snakes its way through Woodridge and Trinder Park, where more houses will be demolished in Laurel St, Acacia Rd and Patrica Ave.

Trinder Park residents, whose homes have been earmarked for demolition for the $2.6 billion a fast train for the Olympics, have been told to spruce up their houses to get better compensation packages.

Residents of Acacia Rd and Laurel St, Trinder Park, said they were urged to “get in early” and apply to the state government for compensation for the land before the Transport Department issued them with official resumption letters, expected next month.

A TMR spokesman said the department does not advise property owners to invest in renovations or repairs to their properties as part of a strategic purchase or compulsory acquisition and that any claim to the contrary is false and misleading.

The spokesman said the decision to repair a property prior to resumption was for the landowner.

Laurel St pensioner Cheryl Love said her family was told to clean up their 640 sqm property and make the house presentable in a bid to get a higher valuation before the state took the land and demolished the house.

Mrs Love, who has lived in the house for more than 40 years, said she and others in her street had been left in limbo for two years, anxiously waiting to find out how much they would get in compensation so they could move on and find a new home.

The pensioner said she was trapped as she could not afford a deposit for a new property until she received the compensation money, which she would not get until the state had taken the land.

“We have been told that if we want a better valuation we have to have the place looking nice so we are painting the house and patching up any holes in the walls ahead of any acquisition letters from the state,” Mrs Love said.

“We need to have it done before the acquisition letters are sent out because we were told that if we applied to the government before the letters were sent, it would be better for our case.

“TMR (the Transport Department) has been good to us and said they would try to help us find somewhere new to live — but we cannot buy a new home until we have the compensation money. It’s a catch 22.”

The rail corridor at the Beenleigh Town Square.

Woodridge MP Cameron Dick, whose electorate takes in Trinder Park, visited the houses after the demolition announcement was made.

“I’ve always encouraged residents to engage with TMR because I’ve been clear with TMR they should engage constructively, empathetically and thoughtfully with residents and their concerns.”

Bulldozers started rolling this month, two-and-a-half years after the state told 21 property owners in the area that their land would be acquired for the extension of the Gold Coast to Beenleigh Faster Rail.

The project has been highlighted as a major piece of infrastructure to move Olympic crowds between the Gold Coast and Brisbane at the 2031 event.

Plans for the line extension are yet to be officially made public but are believed to include straightening the track and changing traffic flow on roads around the Beenleigh Town Square, allowing trains to run at greater speeds.

The driveway of the Trinder Park Aged Care Centre in Laurel St will also be blocked off to make way for the train line extension.

The state government is still designing plans to ensure access to the nursing home will not breach federal requirements once the land is resumed.

Cheryl Love in her street which will be taken over by the state government to become a rail corridor.

Bulldozers crashed through the newly built Acacia Rd home of father-of-two Mian Waqar this month.

The heartbroken dad spent two years building his dream family house only for it to be ripped down less than nine months after it was built.

Mr Waqar learned his new house would be knocked down for the train line the day after he completed the building.

The site of Mian Waqar’s house where he built a new home which was ripped this month to make way for the rail corridor.

The Transport Department said residents had been urged to come forward as plans for the new line were in the final phase with site works due to start across the project in April.

“Property owners who are directly impacted by the project can apply to TMR to be considered for a strategic purchase of their property,” the department said.

“A strategic purchase allows owners to sell their property to TMR ahead of the formal resumption process.

“TMR will continue to communicate with all impacted property owners ahead of issuing resumption notices to explain the process, including timing and compensation matters.

“As this is a complex infrastructure project along an existing 20km rail corridor, this process will take some time to work through.

“TMR does not have any plans for an underground station at Beenleigh or anywhere on the project corridor.

“It is anticipated TMR will provide an update to the community of the project design this year.”

Originally published as Trinder Park residents told to fix houses ahead of land resumptions for Olympic fast train line