14.3. 2006
The Chief Executive Officer
Gold Coast City Council
Fax 5582
8878
Attention Harvey Walsh
Re Mount Lindesay
North Beaudesert Study Area Bahrs Scrub
Dear Mr Walsh,
The Web Incorporated
( Brisbane Region Environment
Council ) makes a submission on the Mount Lindesay North Beaudesert Study at
Bahrs Scrub.
- The
increase in population projection from 5000 to 11000 in the precinct
appears unjustified in terms of the scope and broader spatial extents, unclear
timing, need and lack of precautionary principle tools in the LGMS
document. Some of the constraints include
·
impacts on access
roads( sensitive environments on Waruga Road and part of Bahrs Scrub Road) and lack of Buffering on Bahrs Hill,
·
impacts on creeks (Exacerbation
of flooding from a built up urban environment
on downstream Bahrs
Scrub Road and
downstream riparian owners and valuable riparian vegetation )
·
normal slope
restrictions which may be unacceptably bypassed by Masterplanned Development or
code
·
Questions exist about
the Broad Hectare Study forward projections in this Area which although within
the strategic plan projections for other parts of Bahrs Scrub /Windaroo, the
linear and perimeter development is 5 -7 years ahead of BHS timetable projections.
·
The lack of Open Space and Conservation Park provision in this precinct and the wider area. The nearby
Mt Warren Hill shown as Open Space on the Strategic Plan has unexplained
development Approvals and no advance on acquisition.
·
Lack of an Interurban
Break at the Beaudesert Shire Boundary
·
Lack of fauna
protection and green infrastructure
provisions within a 2 kilometre radius of
a Bioregional Corridor at Bahrs
Hill
- The
Waruga road area ridgeline is reputed to have had EISs undertaken on it.
The area has Local and regional Rare and Threatened Plants and specimens
lodged with the Qld Herbarium It is a ridgetop road which provides access
to another precinct at Waterford
West.. This Waterford West area was ambiguously approved for 1800
retirements units or houses on Dairy Creek Road
which should have become an Inter Urban Break.
Ridge-tops
have been proved to be very important for rare invertebrates by Qld Museum and Dr Don Sands (ex CSIRO)
- Waruga
Road may be reduced to the only Koala
Corridor remaining .It would need to be at least 100 metres-200 metres wide
and road speed restrictions put in place. Identification of remaining Koala
Core Areas needs to be undertaken
The Koala population in Southern SEQ is on
the slide with an unsustainable 1000 deaths a year logged by Moggill
Koala Hospital.
Lowland Squirrel Glider and Koala habitat in Gold Coast is Rare
These
species need Local Recovery plans as the State Plan for Koalas will not save
the species, and the Squirrel Glider warrants status re evaluation as most
habitat under 100m AMSL has disappeared on the Gold Coast and more habitat is
to be felled this year in Brisbane, Pine Rivers and the Sunshine Coast.
- The
APOD data for the precinct is not available to the public. The densities
proposed are difficult to estimate. The location of an Out of Centre
Centre facility if proposed is more
appropriate at Belivah on the Beenleigh to Cedar
Creek Road
This densification
precedent will create undue pressure for resubdivision off Bahrs Scrub Road and older subdivisions on steep slopes in Bahrs Scrub and
backing on to High Conservation Value (HCV) areas and areas within the State
Bioregional Corridor
5 Initiatives of Habitat Buyback, green
Infrastructure, scenic easements, fauna crossings speed restrictions should be Major
policy directives for the future urban environments, and peri-urban fringe flanking HCV
areas and in the Bioregional Corridor
6
The area is penetrated by two collector road “rat runs “Waruga
Road and Bahrs Scrub Road .
The Veitch Lister traffic projection module areas and stats are not available
to the public. There are road safety issues for both roads in their present
usage and future usage as well as fauna issues
.
7
The Beaudesert
Shire /GCCC boundary sits on the northern boundary of the Buccan Conservation Park and sits on the western perimeter of this proposed urban
footprint precinct. With the Waterford West Approval locked in the amplitude
for the Inter Urban Break is to utilise Buccan Conservation Park as part of the
spine and buffer it, quarantine the
western part of this precinct as previously undertaken in RFGM and OUM (viz
Gary Lee) and placing the Rural Residential and some Rural south of Dairy
Creek Road as Inter Urban Break. Inter Urban Breaks are an accepted part of the
Regional Planning Design Principles. The lack of progression of National Parks,
Conservation Parks and other Reserves and Open Space is unfortunate for this
part of the Gold Coast.
It is essential to do this as Delfin and others are buying up rural residential land outside
the Urban Footprints adjacent to their megadevelopments such as NW Greenbank Any opportunity for an IUB break between Brisbane and Ipswich has just about
disappeared. This Precautionary Principle is reinforced here by the fact that 5
year reviews of the Regional Plan will be supported by the BHS which has no
social or environmental dimensions
8
The creeks in the area exhibit rainforest species of
several types. That there will be other types; uncommon and rare species and
others reflecting those in the Original Bahrs Scrub . This strongly indicates the need to botanise the creeks,
in order to evaluate future opportunities and stream /riparian zone protection
