LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
DEVELOPMENT
I URGE residents to comment on amendment No. 16 to the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme, available until November 30, at (yoursay.tr.qld.gov.au/where-we-live or 131 872). The proposed amendment applies to land in residential zones. Anyone can make a submission, either by emailing info@trqld.gov.au or by writing to the council’s chief executive officer.
I acknowledge the important role of the Regional Architecture and Heritage Branch and support greater detail in planning requirements proposed. Developers are encouraged to first seek a council pre-lodgement meeting to address criteria before expense involved in planning development in order to submit an application.
However, I cannot agree with the council’s continuing support for units in conservation areas despite the council’s proposed impact assessment; this includes public notification by white-board and court appeal rights.
Historically, Toowoomba’s conservation areas are in the inner-residential suburbs. They are located in the same areas proposed for higher density. Cannot we, as the principal regional city, do better than risking further damage to our irreplaceable, unique housing stock?
Conservation of pre-World War 2 houses, within garden and streetscape settings, relies on entirely opposing aims to those supporting higher density.
The South East Queensland Regional Plan and the council’s consultants in numerous studies recognised the potential for conflicting land use values and all cautioned against units in areas identified for conservation. ELEANOR CULLEN, Toowoomba
GOOD HEALTH
ANY web search on anti-ageing cures invariably lists the research by University of NSW scientist Professor David Sinclair and his miracle cure for ageing, the so-called NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) supplement.
The drug is not cheap, currently NMN retails in Australia for more than $120 for a small bottle of the tablets. But even though Dr Sinclair swears by it and gives it to his family and even pets. The long-term side effects of this drug have not yet been published. Who knows what this drug will do in its purist form in the long term?
Generally most of the goodies for your health can be found in fresh fruit and vegetables. The NMN molecule is found in foods such as broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, avocados and tomatoes. This is by far a wiser choice for your long-term health.
DAVE FREDERICKS, Toowoomba
REPLACING TREES
NATURALLY many residents at Mt Lofty are upset at the prospect of having their views of the area to the east impaired by the proposed subdivision.
Unfortunately, this has occurred many times in the past and will occur many times in the future. I do not know if this is legal but it may be possible to restrict the height of houses facing Martini St.
Apparently, in constructing this subdivision, a large number of trees will have to be removed. This, of course, is lamentable but often required to make way for development.
A good example of this is Ballin Park and Garnet Lehmann Park. We all remember the extreme opposition to the construction of the two detention basins. Despite this, the council did the only feasible solution and went ahead.
The whole area was replanted with trees and shrubs and the result, in only a couple of years, is an considerable enhancement of this area.
The council, over the years, has been very progressive in planting very many more trees than are destroyed. Likewise, the council will know how many trees are knocked down for the Mt Lofty subdivision. It would be a very desirable decision to make the developers pay for the cost of planting and early maintenance of twice the number of young trees as replacement for the trees removed.
The area adjacent to the summit of the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing would be ideal for this purpose
PETER SHERIDAN, Kearneys Spring