Council `lacking a heart’

HINTERLAND residents forced to evacuate their homes due to a landslip say the Gold Coast City Council is being heartless by threatening them with fines of up to $3m.

A Bulletin investigation in May detailed how families could no longer live in their million-dollar-plus homes at the Riverstone Crossing estate at Maudsland because inground swimming pools were sliding down hills and wooden decks were on dangerous tilts.

Several homeowners forced to evacuate their properties have received enforcement notices with fines of $600,000 if they don’t comply with council’s requests.

For a corporation, the penalty is $3m.

Documents reveal property owners returning to their homes can also be hit with onthe-spot fines of $2669 or $13,000. Seven homes have had to be evacuated.

To comply with council’s enforcement notice, residents are being told to get consultants to carry out a geotechnical study on their home sites.

“It costs about $10,000 per home for a geotechnical report,” a Riverstone Crossing resident said. “Council is being heartless.”

Council development compliant officers sent a “final warning letter” to residents last month.

Residents have fired back in correspondence saying their homes should not have been built on “hummocky ground”.

They have questioned why the council signed off on development permits.

They also accused the council of being “misguided” and “making an undue threat” and maintained their homes continued to be sturdy on reinforced concrete slabs.

Residents awaiting an investigation by their home insurers estimate it will cost $100,000-200,000 to fix some properties.

Two of the Riverstone Crossing homes affected by costly landslips. Some homeowners have received notices threatening fines of $600,000 if they disobey council requests.

They suspect their houses have been built on a water course that covers at least 50m, and the soil used for it was not controlled so compaction did not occur.

The insurance reports will spark a fresh round of talks between lawyers representing property owners, the council and developer Stockland. Residents say a class action will be considered.

The Bulletin asked council if inspections by its officers in

April determined several homes were dangerous to reside in, and whether it would enforce the fines if owners returned or failed to comply with enforcement notices.

Council was asked why it had sent through the final warning of the enforcement notice while negotiations were continuing between impacted residents and Stockland.

A council spokesman said in a statement: “Safety is our number one priority. In accordance with our responsibilities under the Building Act 1975, the City has issued notices to the owners of the affected properties at Riverstone Crossing Estate.

“Notices have been issued as the dwellings are unsafe to inhabit.

“The City is continuing to work with the developer and affected property owners regarding a course of action and remedial works required for individual properties.”