Community group protesting against development in the Redlands

Rushwood Estate residents protesting against development plans

Redland City Council next meets on Wednesday 21 October commencing at 9:30 am. Here’s a link to the meeting agenda.

The agenda includes controversial plans by Ausbuild for a 43 lot subdivision in Thornlands at Wrightson Road  (item 11.2.5) .

Residents of Rrushwood Estate have strenuously opposed the new subdivision having road access via two cul de sacs; Caldwell Close and Whitby Place. Other concerns about the proposed development include odour from a nearby chicken farm.

On the subject of public consultation, the officers report notes:

Caldwell Close will become a thoroughfare

Caldwell Close will become a thoroughfare

The proposed development is Code assessable and did not require public notification. Therefore no properly made submissions were received. A number of informal submissions were received by Council raising concerns in regards to the development. All of the concerns are addressed in the assessment.

The officers report recommends that the application be approved. However, in recognition of the chicken odour problem they propose that a preliminary approval be given for Stage 2 (12 lots) subject to the cessation of the adjoining poultry farm.

Reduction in koala protection (Item 11.2.2)

The developer of a 64 lot subdivision at Muller Road Redland Bay is seeking Council’s approval for a reduction in koala protection rules on part of the site. The officers report says:

The applicant has provided an ecological report recommending that the site’s south eastern corner classification is more akin to Medium Value Rehabilitation as opposed to the current High Value Bushland classification for that part of the site.

The officers report recommends that the change be approved. This will make it easier for “non-juvenile” koala trees to be removed.

 29 Sturgeon Street Ormiston (Item 11.2.4)

Sturgeon Street Ormiston 18 October 2015

Sturgeon Street, Ormiston

A developer is seeking approval to split an 830 m2 block in Sturgeon Street Ormiston into two blocks.The officers report recommends that this application be refused. The main concern is that the plans would result in blocks with less than 10 metres street frontage.

Proposed new planning laws

The State Government’s proposed new planning laws are the subject of an officers report to councillors (Item 11.2.6). While this report aims to provide councillors with a briefing it may also be useful for members of the community who are considering the proposed new laws. The deadline for public submissions about the proposed new planning laws is Friday 23 October.

Electoral boundaries for councillor divisions finalised

Electoral boundaries for Redland City Council divisions have been finalised by the Electoral Commission. Some changes have been made from the draft determination. More information is available in this Bulletin Report. Details of the new boundaries including interactive mapping are available from the Electoral Commission’s website.

Transport forums

Perhaps mindful of the forthcoming elections and the electorates unhappy mood, the Council has recently invited Redlanders to “join a community conversation about the transport needs of our City now and into the future”. Obviously, this should have happened years ago when the City Plan was in its formative stages.

Three Redlands Transport Forums will be held, each with a different topic and facilitator:

November 1: “Connecting Cities”, Redland Performing Arts Centre, 2pm-4pm.

November 7: Navigating the Future”, Victoria Point Library, 1pm-3pm.

November 14: “Getting into Gear”, Capalaba Sports Club, 2pm-4pm.

There is no charge to attend and residents can RSVP to events@redland.qld.gov.au

Redlanders should make the most of this rare opportunity to give the Council some feedback in an open forum.

Draft City Plan public consultation

City Plan 2015 consultationIn putting forward the Draft City Plan for public consultation, many statements have been made that the State Government directed, required or requested the Council to allow for population growth of about 50,000 people.

Redlands2030 questions the correctness of these statements in a recent article: Who set the City Plan population target?

This week the Council will be holding City Plan information sessions at the Victoria Point Library from Thursday 22 October to Saturday 24 October. Information about consultation session times is available here.

Redlands waterways health – spin and reporting

last week we drew attention to a news release by the Council which we described as “a classic example of Council spin“.

We were pleased to see that the issue of Council’s waterways health reporting was the subject of a well written story in the Bulletin: Creeks get ‘D’ in water test.

Raby Bay stop work order

Council officers recently issued a stop work order for a large dwelling in Raby Bay. The three story building was approved by a private certifier but lacks Council approval to exceed the applicable 8.5 metre height limit. More information is available in this Bulletin Report.

Redlands2030 – 18 October 2015

One Comment

Jan Smith, Oct 19, 2015

We just need to read what is on the Agenda for the next Council meeting to see how anxious this Mayor and her supporters are to get as many of the developments approved before the next local election. There is no chance for the community to have a say regardless of what the Council says. They will just bulldoze these developments through with the help of some of the officers just in case the ‘Williams Group’ don’t get back in at the 2016 election.
We really need to think very seriously about who we vote for as Mayor next March because if we don’t get someone in who really cares about The Redlands then the area that we all love so much will be stuffed- covered with tiles and bitumen. The open space with the trees that give us the oxygen we need to breathe will be gone and the wildlife that use these trees for food and homes will disappear as well.

Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net

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