Losing Ray of hope
Tourist park resident says he’ll be on the streets after losing ‘all I’ve got’
A QUIRK in council planning laws could force a Gold Coast retiree to pay for his own home to be demolished.
Ray Bischoff says he will be more than $170,000 out of pocket and “left homeless” because of Gold Coast City Council’s plan to remove permanent residents from the Kirra Beach Tourist Park.
“They (council) have taken my home away,” the 67-year-old said. “It’s my investment and it’s all that I’ve got.
“On top of that they want to evict me (and) they want to charge me to demolish my own house. Then I will be out on the street with no money.”
Last month, the council notified 73 permanent residents — many of whom are retired — that they had 10 years to get out of the popular tourist park. Council wants the park to cater for more short-term visitors.
While residents in manufactured homes have the option of selling their homes to council at “market value”, caravan owners have been left in the lurch and told to move their homes at their own expense.
Mr Bischoff finds himself in the unique situation of owning a caravan that had been renovated and converted into a manufactured home.
“My place is not a caravan, it is a house. It has no wheels, no axel and no tow bar,” Mr Bischoff said.
“But still the council are telling me I have to take it away at my own expense.
“It can’t simply be put on a tow bar and towed out. It will have to be demolished.”
Mr Bischoff and his wife moved into the tourist park five years ago after purchasing the home for $70,000. He said he had spent more than $100,000 on renovations.
After learning of council’s intention to remove permanent residents, Mr Bischoff was surprised to find his place was still considered a caravan by council.
He said the council had rejected his application to have the house reclassified as a manufactured home.
“When I bought the place the previous owner said it had been approved to be reclassified (as a manufactured home). I guess I didn’t chase it up. Now I legally don’t have a leg to stand on.”
Mr Bischoff said up to six other residents were in a similar situation.
“A lot of people here have nowhere to go. They’ve lost all their rights to sell their homes to someone else. Who is going to buy a place when the agreement has been terminated? It’s just wrong.”
Area councillor Gail O’Neill said council would not be approving any more manufactured homes at the park due to the resolution made by the council in February. However, she has requested for residents such as Mr Bischoff to contact her in writing to see if a special consideration could be made.
“Council are not going to go forward with anything including renovations or site transfers,” Cr O’Neill said. “The residents have their individual agreements so council have to abide by what the agreements say.
“We’re looking at options at the moment and we are looking at individual situations.”