Plan causes flood fear

A PROPOSED project by a company linked to the development of Hope Island has Robina residents up in arms.

Residents close to the Walker Corporation’s planned $1.2 billion Breakwater development have raised concerns the project could worsen flooding issues in the area and that any disturbance of the region’s acid-sulfate soils could have toxic results.

The Walker Corporation, linked to veteran developer Lang Walker, is planning to build a 73ha masterplanned community with more than 2000 townhouses and apartments on a site just west of the city’s planned Green Heart Parklands, fronting lakes northwest of the Titans’ homeground Cbus Stadium and Mudgeeraba Creek.

The development will be on the Robina-Merrimac floodplain, raising concerns among residents that flooding could become more severe during construction of the project and after it was completed.

Linda Bristow said while

she was not concerned about being trapped by floodwaters she felt floodwaters could be redirected on to properties close to All Saints school if the development went ahead.

“I have been living here a few years and I have seen Highfields Drive cut off on its northern end,” she said.

“My partner has been here since 2002 and has seen floods topping the 2m mark on street measurements.

“In March last year, when Cyclone Debbie came through, if any of those building works had been done I believe the effect could have been very dangerous for a lot of people.”

Fairley Airey said she would look to sell her property if the development was approved.

“None of us want to consider it (selling),” she said.

“We have a close-knit set of neighbours and none of us want to move but most of us will have to contemplate it if development goes ahead.”

Residents were also concerned with the issue of acidsulfate soils, which were raised in an objection to the project by Robina Group, which claimed that nothing in Walker Corporation’s development application mentioned how the developer would manage any gases that would be released when the soil was disturbed. However, a spokesman for Walker Corporation defended the project, saying the site had an existing approval for a development and that the project would help boost the local economy.