Residents livid after concrete mistakenly poured into ritzy Palm Beach Jefferson Lane’s sewer line

Affluent Jefferson Lane has an effluent problem, after a building contractor at an “ultra-luxury” tower project unintentionally filled a gravity sewer main with concrete during site works.

Affluent Jefferson Lane has an effluent problem, after a building contractor at an “ultra-luxury” tower project unintentionally filled a gravity sewer main with concrete during site works.

Work is under way to repair the blocked section of the sewer main in Palm Beach, but in the meantime residents near the construction site of 5Point Projects’ Palm Shores project are being subjected to the constant buzz of what some have described as at least six to eight sewage pumping trucks per day.

Rod Colquhoun, who is caretaking a property on Jefferson Lane for a mate, said it “smells like sewage all the way along the beach” when the wind is blowing offshore.

“And it goes all day, it doesn’t stop. There’ll be another truck here in a minute,” he said on Wednesday morning.

Sewage pumping works at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Jefferson Lane, Palm Beach.

One resident complained the noise, which “goes on all day”, was “intolerable”.

A Gold Coast City Council spokeswoman said the City was working to replace about 30m of gravity sewer main after it was unintentionally filled with concrete by a building contractor during works at the site last week.

“Repairs involve excavating and replacing the blocked section of main,” the spokeswoman said.

“This requires bypassing the main and having sewer tankers on site from 7am to 7pm to manage the flows whilst the repairs are being carried out.”

Sewage pumping works at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Jefferson Lane, Palm Beach. A truck filled with broken-up pieces of concrete leaves the site.

The spokeswoman said the City had engaged with residents as some noise may be experienced.

“We apologise for any inconvenience and thank everyone for their patience.”

Mr Colquhoun said digging up the road was “going to be a bloody nightmare for the people living up there”.

A Gold Coast City Council notice to residents in the area said a partial road closure, with 24/7 traffic control, was expected to be in place until August 8 while the sewer was repaired.

Jefferson Lane is currently closed to the public between Ninth and Eleventh Avenues.

In response to a question about who would foot the bill for the repair work, the council spokeswoman said: “We are liaising with the builder in relation to this incident and at this stage the City is focused on repairing the main and restoring services to our community.”

A render of what the Palm Shores residences at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast will look like when complete.

Palm Shores is a nine-storey tower being built on an 824 sq m site at 171-173 Jefferson Lane, Palm Beach.

When finished, the tower will feature 16 units, topped with two penthouses.

A pair of two-level homes were demolished to make way for the project.

The project’s website bills it as being “poised to revolutionise beachfront living with an exclusive collection of ultra-luxury residences”.

5Point Projects, a leading Queensland developer and builder, is building on its beachfront legacy with the $80m Palm Shores residences at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.

Ahead of the start of construction on the project, 5Point Projects developer Damian Dove described the tower as embodying “our dedication to crafting the ultimate coastal lifestyle for the most discerning buyers”.

“We are excited by the remarkable growth of Palm Beach and are thrilled to contribute to its evolution,” he said.

“This project not only reflects our commitment to luxury but also our enthusiasm for the area’s dynamic future.”

5Point Projects was contacted for comment but referred the Bulletin to Gold Coast City Council.

Originally published as Residents livid after concrete mistakenly poured into ritzy Palm Beach Jefferson Lane’s sewer line