Council dispute hits wall
CURRUMBIN Hill resident Garry Hamilton is locked in a struggle with the Gold Coast City Council over its refusal to fork out $80,000 to repair a retaining wall that is nearing collapse.
Mr Hamilton blames the council for his wall moving sideways due to what he says was poor remedial work undertaken in the wake of a major landslip caused by heavy rain in June 2005.
However, a council spokeswoman said a geotechnical expert had indicated the work had not caused any damage to the wall.
The 1.7m concrete retaining wall is at the crest of Lansell Ave on the downslope boundary of Mr Hamilton’s property on Pall Mall Ave.
Following the 2005 storm event, 50 tonnes of soil leaning against the wall was washed away on to the road.
Mr Hamilton said council’s solution was to lay shotcrete (sprayed concrete) above the crib wall over the soil.
However, he says this was inadequate because the council did not reinforce the shotcrete via using steel mesh and plates.
“I do not have $80,000 and I do not believe I should spend $80,000 (to repair the wall),” Mr Hamilton said. “They should do it.” A report by Gold Coastbased geotechnical engineers Earthsolve for Mr Hamilton last year said the wall leaned 300mm and was “unsafe and dangerous because it could collapse”.
Earthsolve says the terrain below the wall exceeds the maximum gradient allowed by the council and recommends replacing the wall immediately.
However, a 2019 report from engineering firm Golder commissioned by the council tells a different story.
The engineer in this case did not find any evidence of lateral movement.
“This would likely be observed as cracking in the wall, in the concrete surface above the wall, displacement of the ground below the toe of the wall, and cracking in the shotcrete on the downside of the wall, none of which are apparent,” the report says.
It goes on to say that the wall is on the “verge of collapse” but not due to remedial work undertaken by the council. Rather, the report says a combination of factors are likely responsible for the “failure” of the wall including inadequate design, the wall not being built vertically and soil creep.
“We cannot be certain about which one or combination of possible reasons discussed above has contributed to the condition of the wall, as observed. It is our opinion that inadequate design … and ongoing soil creep are the most likely reasons.”