State to spend millions buying apartments next to East West Link Million of taxpayer dollars will be spent buying off-the-plan apartments that will be surrounded by the East West Link. More than 150 apartment owners in the Evo development, Parkville, have been given three compensation options for their properties. Treasurer Michael O'Brien said the options included Linking Melbourne Authority taking over an owners' contract before settlement and returning their deposit, LMA buying the apartment from the owner at market value, or the owner keeping the apartment and applying for compensation for a portion of the common ground acquired for the tunnel. The Government has agreed to buy 16 unsold apartments from the developer. "It is clear from discussions with purchasers that a number of people wish to exit their contract before settlement," Mr O'Brien said. The package announced today provides people with ability to do so, while allowing first home buyers to remain eligible for any applicable grants and stamp duty relief. We are going out of our way to be fair to those people concerned. Civil engineer James Fitzgerald bought a $550,000, second-floor apartment with his fiancee and said they would look to get their 10 per cent deposit and legal fees back. I think the options are fair and reasonable but I think the government has been terrible at communicating. It has been stressful," Mr Fitzgerald said. Website manager Neil Moreton and his wife bought a two-bedroom apartment for $540,000 in 2010. Mr Moreton believed the property had increased in value since then, but was concerned the valuation would be performed by the Valuer-General, not an independent valuer. "Me and the 170 people in the apartments are priced out of the market now," he said. Mr O'Brien said owners of homes at the Collingwood end of the tunnel, which would not be compulsorily acquired but would be very close to the new road, would not be eligible for the same compensation. Meanwhile, Melbourne City Council is concerned amendments to legislation for the road tunnel introduced last week limited the council's power to make local laws for projects. "On this very recent advice if we were to object to any of the works carried out for the East West Link, be it on the grounds of environment, or on heritage or even on health, we would be powerless to stop the works by refusing to grant permits," Cr Richard Foster said. Furthermore we would also be without a right of appeal to anything within the legislation.