3000 sign Highfields petition

MORE than one-third of Highfields residents have signed a petition opposing a plan to redevelopment parts of the area.

Resident Steve Coren started a Facebook page, Hands off our Highfields, soon after the Toowoomba Regional Council released the Highfields Cultural Precinct Master Plan draft in April.

An online petition to stop the compulsory purchase of people’s homes and a request for better consultation so far has gained more than 3000 signatures which is 37 per cent of the adult population of Highfields.

In the past week the site had almost 10,000 hits which Mr Coren said was a sign residents wanted to know more about the proposed project.

Residents are objecting to a council plan to resume up to 12 homes to make way for interconnecting roads.

The proposal also involves establishing a pattern of streets which extends Clarke Rd to the New England Hwy by adding two small connections.

It outraged many people in the area and a community

❝ There has been about 300 submissions submitted as part of the draft Highfields Master Plan. — Cr Chris Tait

meeting was held to discuss the plans. Hundreds of people attended the meeting in the hopes of stopping the redevelopment.

Toowoomba Regional Council planning and development chair councillor Chris Tait said the council was taking all comments on board.

“We will be providing an update to the Highfields community once all feedback has been received,” he said. “There has been about 300 submissions submitted as part of the draft Highfields Master Plan.

“The council has been considering all submissions received in relation to the plan.”

Yesterday was the deadline to make submissions.