Meeting the ‘supply gap’

A DEVELOPER has put forward plans for a massive “rural-residential” subdivision south of Toowoomba, which would add dozens of new lots to the market.

Lillybelle Park Pty Ltd submitted the development application, which is based on 83 hectares of land off Fitton Road at Mount Rascal, to the council’s planning department last week.

The proposal, called Aurora Hill, features a preliminary variation request ahead of creating the 143 lots, a new road and drainage reserve over four stages.

According to the report by Property Projects Australia, the variation request relates to the land being currently zoned as “emerging communities” rather than rural residential.

“The site forms part of the suburb of Mount Rascal and is located approximately 12km southwest from the Toowoomba city centre at the southern fringe of urban development around Toowoomba and acting as a transition to the surrounding rural areas to the west and south,” the report said.

“The locality predominantly consists of agricultural land, rural residential land, or lowdensity residential development.

“Proposed lots will range between 4000 sqm to 1.388ha in area, with the lots having been created to respond to the constraints of the site by ensuring that each lot contains sufficient unconstrained area to establish a dwelling house, associated outbuildings, and private open space in accordance with expectations for the rural residential zone.”

The proposal sits next to the existing Aurora Hill subdivision, which has reportedly nearly sold out.

The application also included an economic needs assessment from RPS Group, which determined there was a substantial demand for more lots in the emerging communities of Hodgson Vale, Top Camp and Mount Rascal.

“Hodgson Vale represents an ideal location to address this emerging rural residential supply gap, building on existing supply within the district,” the report said.

There were also reports into traffic impacts, urban design and bushfire management.