Dead Trees May Stop $100m Upper Coomera Development
FIVE dead trees could cost the Gold Coast a $100 million development because they might be home to an owl and a sugar glider.
In an evaluation of a proposed Upper Coomera project, council environmental bureaucrats ruled that the dead ‘owl house’ trees on the site could not be cut down.
The ruling effectively removes six lots worth a total of $1.2 million from the proposed multimillion-dollar Upper Coomera residential project, a move which developer Norm Rix says virtually makes his development financially unviable.
His development on the corner of Days and Old Coach roads was approved by the city planning committee yesterday, but with a condition he said he could not accept and which could lead to a legal battle involving ratepayers’ money.
Mr Rix said he was willing to reduce a proposed eight-storey and another seven-storey tower to three as requested by council, but said giving up six lots worth a combined $1.2 million to protect five dead trees was ‘too much’.
The council report stated the trees, classed as ‘hollow bearing trees’, might provide a home for native animals.
It stated that owl pellets were discovered on the site, while a squirrel glider had been spotted 500m south of the trees in July.
The council environmental officers originally wanted 12 lots of land removed from the development to protect the trees, but were talked down to six by Mr Rix.
Mr Rix said he would still lose money on the development in its current form and would take the council to court over its decision.
He said with the red tape developers had to battle through, it was no wonder construction jobs were moving up to Logan, Ipswich and Redlands.
Story in the Gold Coast Bulletin by Matthew Killoran | October 6th, 2010
If this is a trou storry, that an Owl and a Sugar Glider teritory makes a development to brake or not being able to pursue it’s development. There is defenitely something wrong. Hospitals and the Health Department costing us so much money for so little relief or help to humans, but animals receive ptiority over humans ??? There are enough animal care centers arount this whole Gold Coast or even zoos. So I think it is time for does humans to start to care for the comunities and its inhabitants called “humans”.
Regards……………..Frank
Are you lot for real…….”these trees maybe home to an owl or a squirrel”….only a MAYBE, so says the environmentalist at the council,i would sack the officials who are stopping progress and wasting public money,publish their names to shame them,go ahead with any development previously proposed,thus improving lifes and investment in the area,for the people of the area