Gainsborough Lodge owners submit plans to Toowoomba council for 342 lots at Wellcamp property

It is one of Queensland’s most famous horse studs that will be transformed into a massive housing estate just outside Toowoomba. Now the project has reached a key stage.

A plan to transform one of Queensland’s most famous horse studs just outside Toowoomba into a massive housing estate has reached a major step, at a time when just 25 vacant lots are available across the city.

Gainsborough Lodge owners the Richards Group revealed two years ago it would convert the historic Wellcamp stud off Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road into a 450-lot residential subdivision over several stages.

The first stage, worth about 56 lots, was approved with the initial application.

The next seven stages of the Gainsborough Lodge residential subdivision in Wellcamp have been submitted to the Toowoomba Regional Council for approval.

Now plans have been submitted to the council for stages two to eight of the project, encompassing 342 residential lots from between 500 and 1200 sqm.

According to the planning report by Saunders Havill Group, the subsequent stages would offer a mix of housing the suit the market.

“In general, the intent of the proposal is to ensure that the amenity and lifestyle of residents in the Gainsborough Lodge low density residential zone is conserved while promoting and implementing a mix of housing forms at a density appropriate to the site,” the report said.

“(It is to) provide a mix of residential lot sizes and frontage widths in order to facilitate a varied streetscape while allowing for a variety of different housing designs.”

Two detention basins have also been included in the plans to help trap stormwater run-off created by the development.

The redevelopment includes an upcoming hilltop residential precinct, which has not been included in the current application.

Master plan for Gainsborough Lodge redevelopment.

It comes as developers try to ramp up the production of new lots to meet a market hungry for greenfields sites.

Colliers International agent and greenfields expert Brad Lipp said research he’d recently conducted suggested there was just two dozen lots available in the 4350 and 4352 postcodes — and even fewer sized between 500 and 800 sqm.

“In all honesty, there’s probably 25 lots of varying sizes — our average price is between $215,000 and $220,000 for a 500 sqm lot, there are five that fit that,” he said.

“If you rang me today and wanted to buy a piece of registered stock, there’s less than 20 blocks of land registered today (between 500 and 800 sqm).

“What’s even worse is what is becoming available and being registered towards the end of the year, there will be less than eight (extra) lots available because they’re already sold before they’re being sealed by the developer.

“Cotswold Hills has nothing and Kearneys Spring has nothing — Cranley will probably have six lots.”

Mr Lipp said the Gainsborough Lodge subdivision would benefit from its proximity to the Toowoomba Bypass, upcoming Charlton sports park, Wellcamp Airport and the centre of the city.

“Toowoomba can’t grow any further east, so it’s going west and taking the consideration of the new sporting parkland which is five minutes from Gainsborough Lodge, it’s just easy to get to from that particular subdivision,” he said.

“It’s one road to get to the Second Range Crossing and it’s less than 10 minutes to the centre of Toowoomba.”

Richards Group managing director Melinda Richards was contacted for comment.

Plans for Gainsborough Lodge development. Melinda Richards, Richards Group managing director

HISTORY OF THE GAINSBOROUGH LODGE

Gainsborough Lodge has been a part of the Toowoomba landscape for close to 50 years.

Originally a dairy farm, Gainsborough Lodge was developed by Alfred Grant into Queensland’s premier horse stud, beginning operations in 1973.

By 1974 it was largest and possibly best-equipped stud in the southern hemisphere, with an airstrip, horse hospital, and all-weather training track alongside breeding barns and training stables.

The property was sold in 1977 with two more owners until it was acquired by the Richards family in 1990.

Originally published as Gainsborough Lodge owners submit plans to Toowoomba council for 342 lots at Wellcamp property