Respite in wrong area: residents

Avondale residents have questioned whether a home moved to their neighbourhood to be used as a respite facility for people recovering from a mental illness is appropriate for the site.

Mike Knott

A HUGE homestead recently moved to Avondale has residents scratching their heads about how the movement was able to take place.

Harts Accommodation, which owns the home, has plans to turn the building into a respite-like facility, with a caretaker, to give those recovering from a mental illness a place to holiday.

Avondale man Bill Brayson said a meeting, held earlier this month, did little to allay residents' concerns about the house.

“We have not got the infrastructure to support something like this,” he said.

The plan for the house is that those recovering from a mental illness will be able to spend a week or two in the building.

Only one family will be allowed to stay at a time and a caretaker will be stationed there permanently.

Mr Brayson said the meeting was told Harts Accommodation did have planning permission to use the house as a respite-style centre.

“We don't have water and sewage in this town,” Mr Brayson said.

“We have no medical centre, no ambulance and no public transport.

“A lot of the concern is about what the people are going to do.”

Mr Brayson said a number of people in the town were put off by the size of the large building.

He said the size left little room on the block for a wastewater facility and a water tank.

“The house takes up at least 50% of the block,” he said.

“There is also some concern that aesthetically it's an eyesore.”

Bundaberg Regional Council CEO Peter Byrne said a letter had been sent to Harts Accommodation about the use of the building.

“They will need to make an application and that will be assessed,” he said.

“(With the current approval), you can't have a caretaker live on site and have people coming and going.”

Mr Byrne said the house would need approval similar to that of a hostel.

Mr Byrne said the council had only ever approved for the house to be moved to the block.

“(The house's size) has been assessed in accordance with the building act,” he said.

“We were advised it is appropriate.”

Mr Byrne said there may have been asbestos in the home, but buildings with asbestos were able to be moved as long as the proper precautions were taken.

The NewsMail's attempts to contact Harts Accommodation director Karen Bailey yesterday were unsuccessful.