REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday February 7, 1987

TWO former council rivals became embroiled in a row over a carnal carved across land next to a $12 million industrial park development.

A Brisbane court was asked to direct the Gold Coast City Council to enforce a stop-work order on the project.

The former rivals were: Norm Rix, a millionaire property developer who claimed the canal had been cut illegally across his land and works committee chairman Lester Hughs who also owned a haulage and earthmoving company.

Mr Rix was previously the alderman for Ward 2 for seven years before being defeated at the 1982 election by Ald. Hughes. He accused his old rival of deliberately flouting a council stop-work order.

“It’s disgusting to think that someone who is sworn to uphold the city’s by-laws should defy his own council in this way,” he said.

But Ald. Hughes claimed he had not received a stop-work order, although he understood one had been served.

He added: “I don’t think the stop-work order is warranted. It was pushed by Norm Rix for some reason, probably because he doesn’t like be personally. He’s acting like a childish little boy.’

At the heart of the dispute was a 23-ha industrial park being developed on the corner of Nerang and Ashmore Roads.

Ald. Hughes’ family company was carrying out earthworks for the project. Mr Rix said he bought 30ha of land just south of the development and the previous owner had told him he had refused to grant the Hughes trucks easement rights across the property.