Locals to protest East Brisbane site as council flags “critical issues”

Angry locals in an inner-Brisbane suburb are to stage a protest against a controversial “bulky” tower proposed for the area, with one man incredibly devoting 500 hours of labour to build a model of the building to highlight its flaws.

LOCALS are staging a protest tomorrow as they continue a campaign against a ‘bulky’ tower in East Brisbane.

Concerns are so high that one man has spent 500 hours labouring over a diorama to demonstrate the building’s alleged problems.

It comes as Brisbane City Council flagged earlier this week that the project needed to address a number of “critical issues,” including its size and set backs.

First Qld coronavirus case confirmed on Gold Coast

Wynnum Plaza to be redeveloped with cinemas, more shops and apartments

Earlier this month, The Courier-Mail reported that locals had labelled the 28-unit tower, located at 18 Park Ave, as “a joke” because of its 55 per cent site cover.

Guidelines for the incoming Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan limit most developments to 40 per cent.

A letter sent on Tuesday from Brisbane City Council to the developer Arden Property slammed the development, saying it is “unlikely to be supported in its current form.”

Nearby residents also expressed concerns about its one to two-metre setbacks, significantly smaller than the required six to 10 metres.

A render of the proposed development at 18 Park Ave, East Brisbane. Picture: PD Online.

At the time, developer Arden Property argued the building should be approved because the neighbourhood plan would come into effect on February 28 and “will therefore not come into effect before the application is due to be decided.”

Local resident Russell Price, who spent 500 hours building a miniature model of the building and surrounding area, said the set backs were the most concerning thing.

Local resident Russell Price spent 500 hours building a model of the area to demonstrate its size. Picture: Jonathan Sri.

“The problem we are trying to address in the model is that interpreting plans requires a lot of expertise,” Mr Price said.

“Once people in the local community saw the physical model, they became much more concerned about the development,” he said.

Mr Price said 100 people were expected to attend tomorrow’s protest.

A render of the proposed development at 18 Park Ave, East Brisbane. Picture: PD Online.

Cr Jonathan Sri, who plans to attend the rally, accused Arden Property of trying to “hoodwink” the local community.

“Most residents won’t even know this is happening until the demolition crew moves in,” Cr Sri said.

“It corrodes faith in the whole system and makes it harder to win public support for the positive, sustainable, medium-density projects we really need in Brisbane.”

In response to council’s initial concerns about the project, Arden Property said it believed the tower was appropriate for the area.

The overall building footprint size and scale is consistent with other buildings along the immediate streetscape,” the letter said.

Council is yet to make a decision on the building.