Redland City Council today refused Ausbuild’s application for a proposed Thornlands residential development, with Councillors deciding that the development did not comply with the Redlands Planning Scheme.
The application for a 43-lot development at 35-41 Wrightson Road, Thornlands was called in by Division 3 Councillor Kim-Maree Hardman and City Planning and Assessment portfolio spokesperson Cr Julie Talty to ensure it was decided by the full Council and not by officers under delegated authority.
“This application has been controversial and has generated much local community angst, ongoing protests and a significant number of complaints to Council,” Cr Hardman said.
You may also like these stories
“Many Rushwood Estate residents whose properties adjoin the proposed development vehemently opposed aspects of the development, particularly access, traffic safety and odour issues and proposed lot sizes.
“Council officers have worked diligently for months to deliver a better outcome through negotiations with Ausbuild and today presented an amended and much improved application to Council for decision.
“Despite agreement by Ausbuild to adjust the application to address access, traffic and odour issues, resident concerns remained.
“Councillors have listened and today Councillors unanimously supported local residents by rejecting the application on the grounds it did not comply with the Planning Scheme and did not meet community expectations.”
Refusal grounds included:
• the development is wholly within the 500 metre buffer for the Protection of the Poultry Industry Overlay and conflicts with specific outcomes of the Code;
• the development created access streets and access places which had the potential to negatively impact the speed environment and traffic safety of the locality;
• the allotments proposed in the southern portion of the site are insufficient in terms of size and frontage and do not enable creation of an appropriate transition between the development and lots to the south;
Cr Hardman said the level of engagement between residents and Council over the issue was unprecedented in this term of Council.
“This issue has generated much correspondence inwards and outwards, including three resident updates posted to the whole of Rushwood Estate, Cr Talty and I attending a public meeting and later calling in this development for decision, and dozens of responses provided by councillors and officers to resident concerns,” she said.
“We have proven today that we are a responsive Council that listens to the people.
“While officers negotiated in good faith with the applicant to achieve better outcomes for residents and should be commended for that work, Councillors still believed the application fell short of community expectation and the decision today was on that basis.
“Residents need to be aware that Ausbuild has the right of appeal of today’s refusal and the issue may ultimately be determined by the Planning and Environment Court.”
