CONCRETER Troy O'Driscoll says he has been "ruined" by the failure of Whitsunday Chinatown Investments to settle his invoices.

In February this year Mr O'Driscoll, along with painter Brian Roberts, plumber Neil Sempf and excavator Ed McDonald were contracted to begin work on a 'Buddhist retreat' on Namanula Dr in Flametree.

However work has now stopped at the site after some contractors received either part payments or nothing at all following agreements over quotes.

Whitsunday Chinatown Investments, operated by Peter 'Raymond' Wang, had previously indicated their intention to buy land on Waterson Way, on which to build an Airlie Beach 'Chinatown'.

Controversy spread throughout the local community when WCI did not come up with a deposit to secure the land and Whitsunday Regional Council voted to terminate the contract.

Jay Angel of Angel Signs was contracted to build the fence around the Waterson Way site.

Mr Angel said a payment plan was agreed to but the agreement was breached after WCI failed to make a second payment.

Angel Signs was advised to not pursue the $10,000 debt through the courts.

Meanwhile Mr Roberts, who worked on the Flametree site, accused the company of forcing the contractors to sign an agreement.

"They are doing it under duress. People are starving because they owe that much money and (we) can't pay our accounts, so people are just grabbing what they can," he said.

The contractors on site this week said they initially agreed to settle invoices because of the promise of future work.

But contrary to the claims of those who say there is not a proper development approval in place at the Flametree site, a Whitsunday Regional Council spokesperson said there was nothing untoward.

"Council have had ongoing communications with the applicant...and all works being undertaken are within scope of the approvals obtained."

Mr Wang's Cannonvale house is currently listed for sale online. His China Australia Entrepreneur's Association Inc were contacted for comment but the Whitsunday branch has closed.