Family who refused £25m as suburb was built around them WON’T have to leave after fears council could force them out
A DEFIANT family who has bravely refused a huge £25million offer for their five-acre home won’t have to sell up, despite fears.
The strong-headed Zammit family, in the Western suburbs of Sydney, Australia, have been sitting on a multi-million-pound plot while developers built up the area around.
Stunning aerial footage showed the stark difference between the bland rows of grey homes against the stunningly green grass around the family’s pad.
The Quakers Hill suburb of the major Australian city, which was once farmland, has been transformed into an urban sprawl by developers.
A grand 100 metre-long drive would lead visitors up to their huge five-bedroom home.
This family has fought off developers for years despite being offered eye-watering sums of cash.
The Zammits were initially proposed less than £20million for their valuable plot but this shot up to over £25million.
Their headstrong nature and constant rejections led to fears online that the family would be forced off their plot by the local council.
Some social media users speculated a rise in rates could push the family to a point where they could no longer afford their iconic home.
One social media user speculated: “If they don’t sell out in time the adjusted council rates will get them out in the end.”
Another person online wrote: “Yep, that’s how they will do it!
“Rezone, then apply higher rates accordingly until they squeeze them out financially.”
Despite these theories, a Blacktown City Council spokesperson said it had no plans to acquire the home, according to the MailOnline.
The council said that it “has not had any negotiations to acquire the property.”
“The property rate applied to this property is the same as all surrounding residential properties.”
The Zammit’s desirable home has beautiful views across the Blue Mountains but is only a 40-minute drive from the heart of Sydney.
A local agent – Taylor Bredin – revealed how developers could transform the last remaining green property patch in Quakers Hill, according to 7News.
Bredin said: “The fact that most people sold out years and years ago, these guys have held on. All credit to them.”
“Depending on how far you push the development plan, you’d be able to push anywhere from 40 to 50 properties on something like this, and when subdivided, a 300 square metre block would get a million dollars.”
CASHING IN
These homeowners have not been the only family to brush off eyewatering sums of cash from developers in Australia.
The six-acre block in Perth, remained untouched while a suburban sprawl spread around it, The Sun has previously reported.
The site, at 466 Wattleup Road, has a four-bedroom and two-bathroom home as well as a granny flat.
Despite saying no to previous offers worth millions of dollars, the family appeared to have given in recently.
The massive plot of land and home was listed for sale online for at least £2million.