Tweed razes flood homes

TWEED Shire Council has been buying and bulldozing homes ruined by the area’s worst flooding in recent memory.

It is thought to be the first time the council has acquired and demolished residences after such severe flooding, caused by massive downpours brought by ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie when it struck the region on March 30, 2017.

Murwillumbah cafe owner and former Tweed mayor Gary Bagnall told the Bulletin he had seen a damaged home in Holland St being bulldozed by a council crew.

And Cr Warren Polglase said the shire would never approve the redevelopment of four houses at South Murwillumbah that had been badly damaged by the storm and floodwaters in an area described by some as “ground zero” during the deluge.

The council first spoke of taking advantage of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage’s voluntary purchase scheme about a month after the flood. Now, the council has been knocking down homes to permanently remove at-risk residents from high flood hazard areas (pictured).

Cr Polglase said the homes were bought largely with funds provided by the NSW Government, adding “we have put some of our own funds in too”.

He said he had a “bit of an issue’’ with the council having to contribute.

“I don’t think ratepayers should be putting their money into those sorts of exercises,” he said.

Cr Polglase said the land would stay in public hands to be used for parks or reserves.

“The reason the council has purchased the land is simply because they would not allow a building on those sites because of the flooding.”

Cr Polglase said the homes were “demolished” by the flood well before the bulldozers rolled in.

The Tweed council has obtained approval from the NSW Government to pursue Voluntary House Purchase and House Raising Schemes in the “high flood hazard area” of South Murwillumbah, Bray Park, Burringbar and Mooball.

A total of $1 million has been allocated towards the scheme (split one-third council, two-thirds state) in the 2018-19 budget.