Re Collins

In the case of Re Collins, the appellants, Peter Hans and Alison Joyce Stephenson, appealed against the annual valuation of their property located at 3 Dromos Street, Eight Mile Plains. The Chief Executive, Department of Natural Resources, had valued the land at $77,000, and after an objection, confirmed the valuation. The appellants sought to have the value reduced to $70,000. The central issues were the comparison of comparable sales, the relativity of the subject property, and the impact of traffic noise on the valuation.

The court considered the evidence provided by both parties, including the sales of comparable properties in the vicinity. The appellants argued that the Chief Executive had not adequately analysed comparable sales and failed to consider the impact of traffic and other noise on the subject property. The court noted that the preferred method for determining valuation was to compare sales of vacant land within the vicinity of the subject and within the relevant time period. Both parties had compared sales that were superior and inferior to the subject, with two sales being common to both. The court found that the Chief Executive's comparison of sales had shown only a marginal increase between the common sales and the subject property.

The court concluded that the appellants had partly proved their case and that the comparison of sales by the Chief Executive had shown only a marginal increase between the common sales and the subject. The court found that the appellants were marginally superior to the common sales, and the applied unimproved value of the subject would be $74,000. Therefore, the appeal was upheld, and the unimproved value as determined by the Chief Executive was set aside.

Final Orders: The unimproved value of Lot 1 on RP 161388 is determined at $74,000.