THE NEXT HIGHFIELDS
Westbrook says don't forget us Push high school in growing suburb
RESIDENTS of one of Toowoomba’s fastest growing areas are worried it will be left behind by the council and state government with key infrastructure.
Westbrook, which is tipped to reach a population of more than 9000 within 10 years and has growth comparable to Highfields, was highlighted by the Toowoomba Regional Council as a “major growth area” in 2016.
But president of the newlyformed Westbrook Focus Group Jamie Cooper said he wasn’t seeing any commitments within the next 10 years for important public buildings and features.
“It’s a concern for me, because from all reports it sounds like they’re going to be reactive rather than proactive,” he said.
“In 10 years, we’re going to have another 2000 houses and another 5000 people.”
Top of Mr Cooper and the group’s wish list is a public high school within the south-west corridor.
Condamine MP Pat Weir’s petition to grab the attention of the ALP Government on the issue has already attracted more than 460 signatures since it was launched last month.
Mr Cooper said he wanted to be able to send his own children to the new high school.
“My biggest fear is my children being forced to go to a larger school like Harristown State High School,” he said.
“My children would be going from a small school to a school with 2000 students.”
The focus group also wants the council to investigate building a library, aquatics centre and community facility.
Westbrook is one of the only places within this area that would have sufficient land to build these structures.
“There’s a lot of privatelyowned land here that could be quite easily turned into these facilities,” Mr Cooper said.
On top of traditional growth, Westbrook’s population looks set to be boosted, thanks to a potential massive 1500-lot Fernleigh housing estate north of the current township.
Westbrook formed a large part of the council’s 2016 West Toowoomba Land Use Investigations report, offering a new town centre and suburb layout that featured a mix of different urban densities.
Mayor Paul Antonio said the development of Fernleigh was a sign of confidence in the private
sector, but said many of the pieces of public infrastructure would take years to commission.
“We’re not saying that Westbrook is to be disadvantaged, but we are a fair way away from doing all the things they are saying they want now,” he said.
“This is about getting the timing right and we’ll be working with the State Government and other parties as we move forward.
“I’m just suggesting that it cannot happen like that.”
Cr Antonio said a commitment from the State Government on a high school would cause the council to re-evaluate its position on Westbrook.
Westbrook’s population grew by 18 per cent over the past five years, according to the 2016 Census.