Resident submissions wanted for Mt Lofty housing estate

RESIDENTS can now have their say on a massive new housing estate just north of one of Toowoomba’s leafiest suburbs.

The public consultation period has now opened on the development off Rifle Range Rd in Mt Lofty from Defence Housing Australia.

The controversial project, announced several years ago, has passed the information request stage from council, sending back a 39-page response to issues around strategic planning, urban design, scenic amenity and lot layouts.

The applicant made changes to the layout of three of the stages and two of its assessment reports based on the queries from the council, and reduced the number of lots from 379 to 342.

“During the design process the applicant chose to engage with the community and key stakeholders, which included over 600 hours of face-to-face community engagement across 85 meetings and a series of three community open days,” the DHA project team said in the report.

“The proposed stage two, three and seven layouts have been amended to increase the extent of the perimeter road, remove four cul-de-sacs and improve solar gain to future residential dwellings in the southern part of the stages two and three.

“As a result, the total number of residential lots has reduced to 342 lots.

“All parkland within stage one has been retained but design changes (have been) incorporated to address council concerns relating to ongoing maintenance.”

The development has earned plenty of detractors during the process, with one group saying it was opposed to the estate in its current form.

Residential concerns relate to traffic, stormwater generation and tree-clearing that could cause the loss of koalas on the edge of the Toowoomba escarpment.

■ You can make a submission on the proposal or obtain a copy of the application by contacting the council at PO Box 3021, Toowoomba Qld 4350 or by emailing development@tr.qld.gov.au.