Ormeau residents fear house prices will plummet due to location of new ambulance station

A new ambulance station proposed for a fast-growing northern Gold Coast suburb has been met with a furious response from local residents, with one particular problem highlighted.

A ROW has blown up between the State Government, local pollies and residents over the siting of a new ambulance station at Ormeau.

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates and Coomera MP Michael Crandon are furious about being kept in the dark about the project and at least one resident fears siting a new station on a rural residential block in Peachey Road could devalue nearby homes by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Local politicians and residents say they were given no warning of work starting on the site this week, soon after an announcement about the multimillion-dollar station.

But a puzzled Health and Ambulance Services Minister Steven Miles says he cannot believe a politician would complain about a new ambulance station.

“I can’t believe Michael Crandon is complaining about the Palaszczuk Government building a brand new ambulance station in his community,” Mr Miles said yesterday.

“There is no safer place to live than in a community with a local ambulance station.

“QAS has experts who look at growth corridors across Queensland and map out the best and safest location for paramedics to be placed in the community.”

Deputy mayor Donna Gates and Coomera MP Michael Crandon speak with concerned residents at the site of the new ambulance station. Picture: Jerad Williams.

BEHIND THE SCENES: ON THE FRONT LINE WITH GOLD COAST PARAMEDICS

The Government argues Ormeau needs a new station because of an expected population growth of around 124 per cent across the northern region between 2016 and 2036.

But Mr Crandon said the Peachey Rd location was “just crazy and controversial’’.

He said he had been kept in the dark and was demanding an urgent briefing from Mr Miles.

“This site is across the road from a house and backs on to three houses in a lovely, rural residential area,” he said.

“The block of land is very steep. It’s a very strange choice and since demolition work on existing buildings started this week, I have had email after email from very angry residents.’’

Mr Crandon said the station should be in an industrial area 1km away, which had better access to the M1.

Cr Gates, whose division covers Ormeau, said she was also not advised.

“I had no idea the site was being considered until I started receiving complaints from the community,’’ she said.

“This is not an appropriate location and there are so many locations in the north that would not impact surrounding property owners like this site may do.

“Residents are concerned their properties will be devalued by a couple of hundred thousand dollars, and about the obvious impact on their lifestyle.”

The site of the new ambulance station at the corner of Pascoe Rd and Peachey Rd, Ormeau. Picture: Jerad Williams.

MORE NEWS

Hit and run victim’s leg ‘just completely snapped in two’

Popular yum cha restaurant wound up over tax debt

Incredible features in northern Gold Coast school’s $13m upgrade

Mrs Janine Buckley, who was a paramedic in New Zealand for eight years, said she had lived on acreage next to the site since 2013 and feared her property would be devalued.

“What happened to community consultation? There has been nothing at all,” she said

“I am very much in support of having a local ambo station but it needs to be in the right location.”

Her research showed the Government bought the property for $850,000, with a house on it.

“They’ve now knocked down the house. There would be better access at an industrial area near the entrance to Peachey Rd where they could have spent less and got more for their money,” she said.

Mrs Buckley said Queensland Ambulance representatives visited her about 10 days ago and said the site had been bought by the Government.

“They said that at this stage, they didn’t know what would be built on it but they said it could be months or years before anything was decided,” she said.

Heavy machinery at the ambulance station site. Picture: Jerad Williams.

The Government says the ambulance centre will provide around-the-clock service to relieve pressure on surrounding stations at Coomera, Beenleigh and Pimpama, which are often pushed to capacity due to the rapidly increasing population in the northern suburbs.

A finish date is yet to be announced.

QAS Acting Assistant Commissioner Chris Draper said the station would be ideally located to help cover the growing northern corridor and help with response times.

“It is perfectly located where it is. We can get to the highway, get to the industrial area, the residential area – that’s why it was picked,’’ he said.

“The north end of the Coast is huge. The idea is to help with our response times to get to cases quicker.”