Redland letter warns of unseen state plan for 8000 houses in southern Thornlands

Redland City Council has sent letters alerting residents to an 8000-house estate earmarked for southern Thornlands, saying the state wanted to keep plans under wraps until after the election.

Redland councillor Paul Golle has sent out letters to 2000 residents in southern Thornlands.

A bayside council has taken the unprecedented step of sending out letters to thousands of ratepayers after the state government started moves to allow an 8000-house estate to be built outside council control.

Redland City Council sent out more than 2000 letters giving residents an update on a proposed state government priority development earmarked to be built in southern Thornlands.

Councillor for the area Paul Golle said the state government had left residents in limbo over the massive housing project, after Minister Grace Grace hinted it was a political hot potato.

He said he had felt “gagged” as he had been told not to release details about the development until after the state election in October.

Minister Grace Grace said the PDA would not be declared until after next month’s election.

“The state government didn’t want to notify anyone until after the election because it might affect sitting MPs,” Cr Golle said.

“Residents still don’t know what’s going on and you’ve got some who are building brand-new homes on acreage estates who want to know what is happening in the area but the state government won’t tell anyone which is why we’re putting out our letters.

“Residents have a right to know and the state government should be ashamed of trying to gag councillors who are trying to keep residents informed about their own community.”

The letter tells residents that should the Minister for Economic Development approve the PDA, 8000 houses could be built without council control of planning in the area.

It also said the move was already underway after the state government included the land in the Urban Footprint as a designated SEQ development area in December 2023.

“This designation means that further developing within the area cannot occur until detailed land use and infrastructure planning has been completed,” the letter said.

“Council officers have met with representatives of the State Development and Infrastructure to discuss the critical future structure planning of the area.

“The department has indicated that it plans to designate the entirety of Southern Thornlands as a priority development area under the economic development act.

“Although this has not been formally announced, it is anticipated that this may occur after the upcoming Queensland state election.”

Thornlands land owner Mike O’Brien.

Thornlands resident Mike O’Brien said he had been waiting since December to find out what designation the state would give the area and his land so he could map out his future.

He said all development in Thornlands was on hold, despite the state finding a housing shortage in Redland and earmarking the suburb for potential residential use.

The PDA proposal followed a 2021 state government announcement it would take over the Redlands planning scheme believing that council was not approving enough developments in the area.

In 2022, the then deputy Premier Steven Miles launched a scathing attack on the council in parliament and ordered it to redraft its housing policy claiming it needed updating.

However, the council said it had never received a ministerial directive to update its 2011 housing strategy.

This week, Economic Development Queensland failed to answer questions about why the Southern Thornlands PDA designation had been postponed until after the October election.

It said it continued to work closely with Redland on the declaration of the PDA to ensure it was the most appropriate planning pathway to facilitate much needed development, including the delivery of diverse and affordable housing.

“Once a PDA is declared, a public engagement program is undertaken as part of the planning process.”