Mayor says planning process is ‘complex’
Increased calls for new scheme in Toowoomba
TOOWOOMBA Mayor Paul Antonio has partially blamed “relationship issues” with the State Government as the reason the council hasn’t developed a new planning scheme.
The comments come in response to a series of controversial rejections by the council in the past 12 months, of applications that should have been approved according to the scheme.
Most recently, the developer behind a rejected 40-lot gated community in Prince Henry Heights will take the TRC to the planning and environment court over the decision.
The council has had the same planning scheme, which is governed by the Queensland Government, since 2012.
Cr Antonio agreed that the scheme needed a broad review, but added it was easier said than done.
“We’re working constantly with the amendments that come through to tidy up things that need tidying up,” he said, referring to the 19 changes made to the scheme in six years.
“There are some projects that indicate (a need for change) and there is a will in council for a broader review.
“It’s not all about us – it’s a lot about state government legislation and there are some relationship issues that we need to talk about with the Department of Planning at a state level.”
Cr Bill Cahill is among the voices calling for a review, while planning and development general manager Stewart Somers admitted in January that the current scheme was “a bit long in the tooth”.
In at least six instances since 2017, the councillors have voted against their own officers’ recommendations for either code or impact-assessable projects.
The TRC has also been taken to the planning and environment court by developers more than 20 times since the start of last year.
Cr Antonio said the process to change it was “complex”.