Torrens to Darlington project acquisition plan leaving residents in limbo as many face prospect of losing their home

Residents in the firing line of the North-South corridor acquisition plan have revealed the significant impact of learning the fate of their homes.

The Torrens to Darlington project is starting to take an emotional toll on western suburbs residents after many received letters last week informing them their property was set to be acquired to make way for the North-South corridor.

More homes are set to be razed to make way for the project than was initially slated, but the state government has refused to release details of their final plans publicly until they have communicated with affected residents.

It comes after The Advertiser revealed in October, that the Department for Infrastructure and Transport bought a unit at Ashford that was not among the 393 properties initially flagged for acquisition.

A number of other residents along the corridor have now learned their fate, after the government sent out letters last week to inform them of full or partial acquisition of their properties.

Among those to receive a letter was 71-year-old George Czerwinski, who has lived on Jervois Ave, at West Hindmarsh, for 41 years, and is now set to lose part of his property.

George Czerwinski, 71, who lives on Jervois Street, West Hindmarsh is set to lose part of his property. Picture: Morgan Sette

He said he had been fighting to save his home for close to a decade.

“We got the letter last year about the (full) acquisition, which was just heartbreaking,” he said.

“Now this latest letter … they’re not going to take our property, but they’re going to take part of it.”

While he admitted the latest letter was a “bit of a relief”, an emotional Mr Czerwinski said he still had a big decision to make.

“When our house was going to go, I was wondering ‘Where are we going to go?’” he said.

“The same thing is happening now, in my view we still have no choice, it feels like we’ve got to go otherwise we won’t get the right compensation.”

For Mr Czerwinski it was about more than losing his home. He also be leaving behind his son who lives next door and other family who live close by.

“They talk about mental health for all these other people, well we’ve been suffering this for eight years.”

Mr Czerwinski said he still had a big decision to make after receiving the letter. Picture: Morgan Sette

A 47-year-old Ashford resident received an email at 2.10pm on Thursday informing her that her house has been acquired.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, has lived in her Marleston Ave property for 18 years and said she was unsure where they will go.

“I had a feeling I’d be going … I don’t work as I have problems with my eyes, so it’s not like I can get enough money or get another loan to buy something more expensive,” they said.

“I honestly don’t know what I’ll do … I sort of expected it and didn’t know what to think. It’s (the house) quite old but it’s still my home. It’s hard to explain, it’s just strange to get an email like that.”

The resident has been given until the end of 2024 to move out.

“Two or three weeks before Christmas, I know they said they were going to let people know this year but it could of been better timing.”

Shelly Thomas and Cijo Joy live across the road and were emailed the notice in April. They have been given until 2024.

Mr Joy said an evaluator will be sent to their house.

“The first audit process will happen in the next six months apparently … but whatever it is, we will be able to stay until November 2023 rent free, then I don’t know from there,” Ms Thomas said.

Shadow Infrastructure and Transport Minister Vincent Tarzia said the government was being “deceptive”. Picture: Morgan Sette

A state government spokesperson said they would not be commenting on the matter until next week.

“We’ve always said we would be informing affected residents and businesses as a first priority once we had completed our review, and that is what we are doing,” they said.

“Residents along the North-South corridor deserve to her from the Government first about how our plans will affect them.”

Shadow minister Vincent Tarzia said the government was being “deceptive”.

“This is causing absolute carnage and bedlam and a lot of anxiety for people along this corridor,” he said.

“One minute their property is being acquire, the next minute they’re told it’s not, the next minute they only need part of their property that needs to be acquired. What people need here is certainty.”

The start of the construction has been pushed back from 2024 to 2025, while the first tunnel-boring machine will start tunnelling in 2026.

The project’s completion date has also been delayed another year to 2032.

It is understood the design will be released by the government this week.

Originally published as Torrens to Darlington project acquisition plan leaving residents in limbo as many face prospect of losing their home