Councillors hail centre for the less privileged

A PROPOSAL for a mixed use development at Rasmussen providing affordable accommodation and support services to disadvantaged people has been welcomed by Townsville councillors.

Planning chairman Cr Les Walker said he thought it would be a “great outcome” for the Upper Ross, while Mayor Jenny Hill said she was pleased to see a proponent like the Yumba-meta Housing Association was working with the council to try to develop a suitable community outcome.

Yumba-meta has applied for approval to develop the project on about 2ha of mostly vacant land at 1145 Riverway Drive and 324 Pinnacle Drive.

The application was considered at the council’s planning committee meeting on Tuesday. The development involves construction of 32 two and three-bedroom residential units, a 27-bed stepdown facility to provide short-term accommodation for people discharged from hospital, an education space and office for Yumba-meta, coffee shop and medical centre.

A planned police beat which was to be provided as part of the development is to be removed because of the recent opening of a police station at the Bluewattle estate nearby.

The council was told the proposal, despite being a nonresidential use within a low density residential zone, was not considered to unreasonably detract from the amenity of the area.

Cr Walker said he looked forward to the jobs the development would provide during and after construction. The council will make a final decision on the application at its full meeting later this month.