Indooroopilly Central retailers are grappling with the fallout from the Moggill Road construction project

A Brisbane gym owner says a timeline glitch on a council road project has caused his business significant financial problems, but he is not owed a cent in compensation.

Tudor Vasile’s Snap Fitness franchise is based at Indooroopilly Central next to Moggill Road, where heavy construction has been going on since January 2022.

Since then, the cost of the project has more than doubled and the completion date has been repeatedly postponed.

A construction site — The Moggill Road upgrade would be completed in early 2024. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Kenji Sato)

Brisbane City Council told ABC Brisbane the project was currently scheduled to be “substantially completed” by early 2025, making it more than a year late.

The road is fenced for several kilometers, directing cars in different directions via several detours.

Drivers coming from one side will have to go around the block and take the right detour to reach Indooroopilly Central.

Mr Vasile said his gym had suffered a significant loss during construction, more than $5,000 a month.

“We are sitting here on our knees looking for help and support, and no one seems to be giving us that support,” he said.

He said businesses were losing customers because it was too difficult to reach their stores.

“It has absolutely wiped out the businesses here, and some of the stories you will hear will really bring you tears,” he said.

a man outside a gym — Tudor Vasile says the council has let shopkeepers down. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Kenji Sato)

Mr Vasile said he repeatedly asked the council for financial compensation but was told the company owed nothing under the Queensland Acquisition of Land Act 1967.

The 57-year-old law stipulates that municipalities are not legally obliged to compensate homeowners or businesses unless they are located on compulsorily acquired land.

Mr Vasile thought his loss of profit would be compensated, but he did not qualify because his land was not acquired.

Under the law, a small number of businesses on Lot 10 of Indooroopilly Central could be eligible for compensation, but the rest of the retailers, like Mr Vasile, are not owed a dollar.

A council spokesperson told the ABC that all businesses are still encouraged to submit a submission requesting financial compensation.

A man with a piece of epoxy — Andrew Wines says the upgrade will reduce traffic congestion and road fatalities. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Kenji Sato)

Civic Cabinet Infrastructure chairman Andrew Wines said the construction project would reduce traffic congestion and road fatalities along the busy intersection.

“We are committed to keeping Brisbane moving and the Moggill Road Corridor Upgrade Project is the largest congestion relief project we are currently delivering,” Councilor Wines said.

“There have been 44 accidents at this intersection in seven years and if we don’t do this work now there will be more accidents and more traffic jams in the future.

“The team delivering this project have done a fantastic job supporting local businesses throughout the delivery of this upgrade and I thank the businesses for their incredible patience and resilience.”

A council spokesman said the project had faced bad weather, rising costs and other ‘complexities’.

They said the project now cost $257 million as the cost of bitumen had increased by more than 50 percent, steel beams by 90 percent and construction labor by 60 percent.

‘I have lost everything’

A man in a store — Roy Meng says he often apologizes to his children for not being able to spend time with them. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Kenji Sato)

NightOwl franchisee Roy Meng said he was forced to withdraw his two children from private school because he could no longer afford the tuition.

He said he could no longer spend time with his three children as he worked around the clock to keep his business afloat.

Mr Meng said despite his best efforts, the store was loss-making and he was struggling to provide for his family.

“I am proud that my company survived the floods, survived the COVID period, but we are dead because of this construction,” Mr. Meng said.

“At the moment when I work 80 hours a week, I lose time for my family with the children, and they need the parents to be with them.

Entrepreneurship aimed at survival

A sad man next to a cafe — Freddie Wang has been working without paying himself wages to keep his cafe alive. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Kenji Sato)

Horizon & Grind cafe owner Freddie Wang said the ever-changing construction site made it slow and confusing to drive into Indooroopilly Central, and even worse to walk.

Mr. Wang said he is currently not paying himself wages because there is only enough money to pay his staff.

“I’m just trying to keep it going because I can’t just let it die,” Wang said.

“I need it to survive this period and hopefully it will be better in the future.”

ABC Brisbane asked the new Queensland government whether it planned to amend the Acquisition of Land Act 1967, but received no response.