Coomera Connector: Residents call for second M1 to be dumped by State Government

Northern Gold Coast residents living near the route of the proposed “Second M1” are demanding the project is canned, with one person calling it “morally wrong”.

THE Gold Coast City Council has been asked to intervene and stop the Coomera Connector due to concerns about property values and the environment.

A Helensvale resident has called on area councillor William Owen-Jones to stop the second M1 from proceeding through the northern Gold Coast suburbs of Arundel, Helensvale and Monterey Keys.

COOMERA CONNECTOR’S GREATEST VALUE TO COMMUNITY

Still from a Transport and Main Roads video showing how the Coomera Connector is expected to look.

“The proposed road will destroy our quality of life, the wildlife that currently occupies the route, and have a severe impact on property values in this area,” the resident wrote.

“It is morally wrong to build this road through a residential area. I know this issue is a State Government one, but as a locally elected representative I feel you could assist all residents greatly by being our ‘voice’ and assisting in having this proposal stopped.”

Cr Owen-Jones admits the much-needed alternative state highway will have engineering challenges but urged residents to contact their MPs to “make sure that any future road is correctly designed and constructed to minimise the impacts on the residential communities”.

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Cr William Owen Jones — will pass on concerns of residents to State MPs about the State road. Photo: David Clark.

Many residents on his official Facebook page agreed that the Coomera Connector was needed, but it must be built to limit noise and protect wildlife corridors.

A resident revealed their family had shifted from a new estate several years ago aware of the impact of the road on their property’s value.

The Bulletin last month revealed new mapping of the 36.5km highway, which was originally thought to run parallel to the M1 between Nerang and Stapylton.

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Urbis designs shows how residents in the fastest-growing suburbs east of the Pacific Motorway will not need to use the M1. The IRTC heading north will only run parallel to the M1 until the proposed Hope Island railway station before sharply veering towards the coastline at the eastern edge of Pimpama and just west of Jacobs Well.

Cr Owen-Jones told the Bulletin the letter from the Helensvale resident was the first time a property owner had asked him to stop the Coomera Connector, but others had raised concerns about noise impacts and protection of environmental areas.

New mapping for the Coomera Connector, the second highway to the M1 on the Gold Coast.

Coomera MP Michael Crandon said he had yet to receive negative feedback from residents about the proposed highway.

“We’ve always promised that if we win government at the next election that we will build a second M1,” he said.

Residents were concerned about protecting the remaining koala habitat at Coomera but they were more worried about delays to a government buyback plan, he added.

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A spokesperson for Transport Minister Mark Bailey said Labor gazetted the Coomera Connector this year after it was cut by the former Newman LNP Government.

“We’re planning for the future of the Gold Coast, which includes planning for the Coomera Connector. This planning will involve extensive community consultation and environmental work to make sure we get it right,” the spokesperson said.

The State had committed $10 million for current planning work for this project, with matching Commonwealth funding not available until 2021-22.