Plans for new care facilities
Applicants seek council approval
THE leafy suburb of Newtown could soon be home to two high-care specialist disability accommodation providers offering 24-hour assistance to residents, just a street away from each other.
Applicants Senad and Dragana Ganic lodged a development permit for a material change of use to the Toowoomba Regional Council last week to convert a current Hamilton St house on 603sq m into a “residential care facility”.
If council approves the permit, the site would house a two-bedroom high physical support SDA unit which would offer two disabled occupants help from two onsite carers 24 hours a day.
Located on a rear access hatchet block in a low-density residential zone, the property is also in proximity to shops, schools and parks.
In Alpha Planning Applications’ report, the dwelling originally gained approval as a “community residence” however the applicants had since decided to use the premises for two high-care tenants.
In the same week, Alpha Planning Applications lodged a similar material change of use application for a 428sq m Weetwood St property on behalf of Julie Clarke.
The newly constructed house is on the next street over from the Hamilton St address, and its proposal is also for twobedroom high-care disability accommodation.
Both application reports state the developments would be designed to a “high aesthetic standard and will integrate with and enhance the streetscape”.
Town planner for both proposed SDAs, Andrew Hill was contacted for comment.
News of the Newtown SDA applications comes as a $25m health and disability precinct in Glenvale reaches the next stage of development.
The project from developer Rob Weymouth will have 31 SDA units featuring 15 clinic rooms and physiotherapy and rehabilitation facilities, and is five minutes’ away from the proposed Newtown SDAs.