Labor Lord Mayor Candidate Pat Condren vows to ’rip up’ neighbourhood plans

Labor’s Lord Mayoral candidate has vowed to “rip up” the city’s neighbourhood plans and fight the State Government on planning laws if residents want him to.

Labor candidate for Lord Mayor has vowed to “rip up” the city’s neighbourhood plans and “start from scratch”.

LABOR’S Lord Mayoral candidate has promised to “rip up” Brisbane’s neighbourhood plans and fight the state on laws that allow developers to propose buildings outside the plans.

The LNP’s City Planning chair Matthew Bourke described it as a “rash decision” made without consultation with residents.

Patrick Condren made the comments at a press conference about the council’s townhouse ban which he said did not go far enough to protect backyards.

Mr Condren said residents were frustrated that the council was not sticking to the neighbourhood plans the community agreed to and that Labor would “start from scratch”.

“When it comes to neighbourhood plans we will rip up the existing ones and we will go back to the drawing board and we will go to the community and say what do you want?” he said.

“From Calamvale to Bracken Ridge and Wynnum to the west … they have neighbourhood plans that have been consistently and repeatedly ignored by the LNP administration.”

To emphasise his point, the former Channel 7 TV journalist ripped up the notes he was holding in his hands.

Labor candidate for Lord Mayor Pat Condren. Picture: Annette Dew

Brisbane City Council has approved more than 30 neighbourhood plans since 2012 and, on average, each plan costs $200,000 and takes three years from conception to completion.

Mr Condren said the costings of starting the neighbourhood plans from scratch would be revealed closer to the election in enough time for “forensic” examination.

He added if the council “do them all at the same time, it will take a very short period of time”.

Mr Condren said, if residents wanted him to, he also would fight the Labor State Government on state laws requiring councils to allow performance planning.

“If necessary, absolutely, I have no issue with picking a fight with the State Government”.

Performance planning means developers can propose, and have approved, developments that are outside the city plan’s acceptable outcomes if they prove it is better for the community.

City Planning chair Matthew Bourke. Peter Cronin

City planning chair Matthew Bourke said: “The Labor lord mayoral candidate, who was a paid developer lobbyist until December, only has a plan to tear down and criticise.”

“Brisbane is constantly changing and this administration has worked tirelessly to ensure our neighbourhood plans adapt to accommodate growth while protecting the look and feel of our suburbs,” he said.

“The Labor Lord Mayoral candidate has made a rash decision without consulting residents to remove Council’s well-established planning schemes.

“His captain’s call which is based on no consultation could have dire consequences for Brisbane’s future.”