Petition raises housing issues
A PETITION calling for the Toowoomba Regional Council to crack down on housing estates in Highfields has attracted more than 1000 signatures.
A group calling itself the Highfields Defenders, which took a public stand against a proposed development on Reis Rd by developer Clive Berghofer last month, has turned its attention to the council in the new petition on Change.org.
“No one is against progress, but development needs to be done in an accountable and measured manner,” the group argued online.
“Our status as a ‘Garden City’ is at stake, particularly when you consider that now most house blocks are covered with ‘houses’ and there is no room for mature trees.
“The very environment that draws people to Highfields is at risk of disappearing forever.”
Mr Berghofer has progressed with plans for a 221-lot estate on two parcels of land between Reis and Barracks Rd, which involves the removal of all vegetation and trees.
The group called for greater scrutiny over housing estates, more community consultation and face-to-face meetings, safety prioritisation and the inclusion of parklands into all housing estates.
“The Reis/Kuhls/Barracks Rd development is typical of what has been the norm in Highfields over the past decade,” the group said.
“The developers remove all vegetation from the estate, clear felling the iconic gum trees, displacing wildlife, and offering small blocks that simply can’t accommodate the replanting of similar vegetation.
“The impact of this development will change the appearance and liveability of this neighbourhood significantly (increased traffic, noise, loss of visual amenity, loss of environment and wildlife, increased stormwater flows).”
Since it was started on August 27, the petition has attracted 1056 signatures and plenty of residents have vented their frustration in the comments.
In response to the comments, Mr Berghofer told The Chronicle last month the project had progressed to cater for a neighbouring estate that needed to install sewerage.
“A lot of them are rubbish, big huge trees – we need a wider road for Reis Rd,” Mr Berghofer said.
“The beauty of trees is we can plant some more.”