Bid to stop clustering in suburbs

Amendment to planning scheme

‘‘ THIS RELATES TO GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENTS AND THIS WILL PREVENT WHOLE STREETS OF DUPLEXES – WE DON’T WANT TO SEE THAT. CR CHRIS TAIT

THE Toowoomba Regional Council has taken major steps to prevent duplex clustering in emerging communities, asking the State Government to amend the planning scheme.

The councillors endorsed the anti-clustering change at the ordinary meeting on Tuesday, which will force people subdividing land to nominate and limit the blocks that could become dual occupancy properties in a single street.

The plan, devised by land use and community principal Heath Martin following the review in medium density housing, was in response to reports of clustering in communities like Cambooya and Wyreema.

Planning and development chair Cr Chris Tait said the long-term amendment would eventually replace the temporary local planning instrument the TRC introduced last year to try to limit any further damage.

“We don’t want to see duplex developments all across the street,” he said.

“We want some inter-splicing.

“This relates to greenfield developments and this will prevent whole streets of duplexes – we don’t want to see that.”

Deputy Mayor Carol Taylor has been particularly vocal on this issue, saying a lack of preventative measures had led to some “poor outcomes” for towns outside Toowoomba.

The amendment still needs to be endorsed by the State Government, which Cr Tait said could take months to complete.