Coomera Connector drives over top of haunted house plans
Is this the state’s most sought-after, but beleaguered, block of land? It’s taken a toll — a housing estate, a zoo, a wave pool and now a haunted house have all fallen victim to this block of land.
QLD News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A BLOCK of land south of Brisbane is rising as one of the most sought-after pieces of real estate in the southeast.
The 26 hectare site, off the Pacific Highway at Loganholme, runs down to the Logan River and is owned by Logan City Council.
RATEPAYERS WANT ANSWERS OVER VACANT ZOO LAND
TRASHED MANSION GOES UNDER HAMMER
It has cost businesses millions, sent a council to court, been a factor in a CEO’s resignation, and has left a zoo and a haunted house without a home.
But after 10 years of being left vacant and to decay, the council is going to lose its prized asset when the State Government swoops in to take the land for its second M1 highway project, known as the Coomera Connector.
The compulsory acquisition has gutted the dreams of businesswoman Jaye Rose of Haunted Attractions Australia, who has lobbied the council for 10 years to rent out the vacant premises to start a Haunted House attraction.
Council finally gave informal support to her plan in March on the condition she received state government approval.
Her hopes were dashed late last month when she met with top-level Transport Department officials.
They told her the state would not lease or rent out the site, a strategic link in its Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway upgrade and the Coomera Connector.
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT NEWS
“It’s so disheartening to find that even though the council supports my plan, it’s hands are now tied because the state government has jumped in over the top to take the land for a project that won’t happen anytime before 2026,” Ms Rose said.
“This land could be turning a dollar for ratepayers and bringing in jobs to the city but instead, it’s going to remain vacant and in disrepair for at least another seven years.
“Even then, there’s no guarantee the northern section of the Coomera Connector will go through the land as the state said it was now going to review and possibly redraw the route with Eagleby residents.
“So much time and money has been wasted on this prime piece of real estate to no benefit for ratepayers.
“All that has happened over the past decade is the council land banking – and then losing out when it has had to give up the site to the state government.
Ms Rose said her venture would not require infrastructure and she would be willing to sign a contract to vacate with six months’ of notice.
Senior Transport Department adviser David Greene broke the news to Ms Rose in an October letter which said the site was one of the properties recently identified for the Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway upgrade, which was still in the planning stage.
“It is anticipated that the Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway upgrade will precede the Coomera Connector Project and the requirement on this property will be actioned well in advance of the Coomera Connector requirement,” he said.
The land, which includes a large two-storey brick building once used as an antiques and homewares emporium, has been the subject of many business grand plans despite being left vacant since 2008.
The building fell into disrepair and decay after vandals smashed windows and graffitied the walls.
In August last year, it was announced a smaller, 18 hectare lot at the site, would be redesigned as a wave pool and the building renovated as an indoor skate park, gym, restaurant and surfboard factory.
But those plans were overturned in March when the state revealed the route for its Coomera Connector.
The land, which the council sold to its investment arm InvestLogan in late 2017, was handed back to the council this year, before InvestLogan chief executive Todd Rohl announced his resignation in October.
The site has also been the subject of a long-running bitter $14 million court battle against the council brought by Alma Park Zoo, which was granted development approval in February 2014.
The zoo said the council breached a contract, signed in 2012, when it terminated the agreement because the zoo was not built within a certain time frame.
The zoo said the council has not completed infrastructure works in time.
The matter was finalised this year.
Haunted House Attractions have been working out of the Beenleigh Historic Village and is an interactive maze similar to Fright Nights or London Dungeons or Spookers Auckland.
Originally published as Coomera Connector drives over top of haunted house plans
Dozens rescued, emergency alerts, 1700 homes at risk amid North’s deadly deluge
Dozens of people have been rescued across North Queensland overnight as a fresh emergency warning is issued and authorities continue to urge residents to evacuate ahead of life-threatening flooding which could inundate 1700 homes.
Labor at war, MPs defect as union heavyweight’s grip on party wavers
The opposition is divided over the defection of two MPs and possibly a third amid claims of an internal power struggle and threat to Steven Miles’s backer Gary Bullock.