Community & Business
30 July, 2024
Western Line stoush
Owners of Oakey’s mothballed Western Line Hotel say their plans to develop a motel have been stymied by a neighbour and Council’s refusal to act.
At least 12 units are planned and the owners hope to re-open the pub with a functioning kitchen for the motel customers.
Darlene Brown, partner of owner Jeff Phillips said she has contacted Toowoomba Regional Council about the property being an unsightly or overgrown allotment, with access along Rutledge Lane restricted by the overgrowth.
“You can clearly see the public road is blocked from the residents at 2 Rutledge Lane,” she said.
“We are one of the biggest ratepayers in this town owning properties at 167, 169, 171 Bridge Street and 5 John Street Oakey.”
There is a history of disputes between hotel owner Jeff Phillips and neighbour John Westra.
In 2021, Mr Westra drove into Mr Phillips with his car while Mr Phillips was on a lawnmower, and was arrested by Oakey Police and charged with Dangerous Operation of a Vehicle and Assault Occasioning Bodily Harm.
Council has been reluctant to engage with the overgrowth issue as a result.
The Oakey Champion has seen correspondence between Darlene Brown and then Toowoomba Regional Council Environmental and Regulatory Services Coordinator Glenn Gellatly who said in 2022:
“At present, based on the information available to us, and in particular that set out in your complaint, Council is not satisfied that the current use of the subject property is unlawful.
“Moreover, and indeed more importantly, I will not be having my officers entering potentially dangerous conflict situations not of our making where Police involvement is required on each occasion from a Workplace Health and Safety perspective.
“Therefore, I will be closing Council’s file in this regard and on this basis without any further action and further, I will take this opportunity to encourage you to seek a resolution via the QPS and/or your own legal action separate to any Council involvement.”
Rutledge Lane was last inspected by Toowoomba Regional Council in August 2019 and found to have ‘high roughness counts’.
John Westra says his property complies with Council regulations and says he wouldn’t cause any trouble if motel units were to be built.
“It’d be too close to my house, but if it has to happen, it has to happen,” he said.
“I haven’t spoken with them. I just let them do what they want to do.”
Mr Westra said he would like Council to make sure dust wouldn’t fly off the road into his property if the road was to be resealed.
He also said he would like a steel barrier built on the northern boundary of his property if the bottleshop was to re-open.
