Heritage dairy shed in path of Bethania townhouse project
Residents of a suburb south of Brisbane are railing against a townhouse development they say will destroy heritage buildings and lead to traffic gridlock outside a controversial crematorium.
Logan
Don't miss out on the headlines from Logan. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Residents of a suburb south of Brisbane are railing against a townhouse development they say will destroy heritage buildings and lead to traffic gridlock outside a controversial crematorium.
BETHANIA CREMATORIUM GOES AHEAD
Developer Phil Usher, known locally as Mr Townhouse because of his building projects, has lodged plans with Logan City Council to build 65 townhouses in a dead-end road, which runs past a major primary school and church at Bethania.
Residents say history will be lost if a century-old building, once used as a dairy and sawmill, is knocked down to make way for the townhouses in Church Rd, named because it is the home to Queensland’s oldest Lutheran church, built in 1872.
It is believed the tin shed, now rusting and rotting in parts, was built sometime in the late 1800s or early turn of the century when German settlers moved to the area.
A report for Mr Usher found the buildings structurally unsound with extensive rot, missing frameworks, no sheet roofing, weather damage and termite damage.
“Based on recommendations of the dilapidation report, the heritage buildings will need to be demolished and therefore cannot be retained in accordance with Logan City Council planning provisions,” the report said.
“In honour of the site history and associated heritage structures, it is proposed that development over the site incorporates a memorial plaque within the communal open space area, in addition to naming the complex after the early pioneers so as not to lose connection to the site’s heritage values.”
The project could add up to 120 cars to the local road infrastructure, which is already under pressure with traffic banking up to cross busy Kingston Rd at peak school times.
The Church Rd intersection is 400m from a crematorium, which Logan City Council approved in 2018, after residents lost their battle to stop it being built next to a retirement facility.
CHECK OUT OUR CHRISTMAS WINE DEALS
SUBSCRIBE FOR OCTOBER SPECIALS
A planning report for Mr Usher said the project, bordered by the Beenleigh train line, would also provide much-needed housing close to transport and infrastructure.
Compiled by Wolter Consulting Group the report said the project would help Logan meet its state government-stipulated population target of 70,000 new dwellings between 2009 and 2031.
It said the site was zoned for low-density residential with 20 dwellings per hectare but because it was in walking distance to the train station, it found it could support a higher-density of 35 dwellings per hectare.
When completed, it will include 66 garaged spaces, 52 uncovered spaces and 29 visitor spaces.
The prospect of flooding and sewage overflowing into the street concerned resident Lisa Doak, who called on local councillor Tony Hall to organise a community meeting.
“We already have flooding in Church Rd and we have information on hand stating that the sewerage pipes in our street are too old to withstand extra development of that scale,” she said.
“For this development to even be considered, is a slap in the face for every resident in this street.”
Cr Hall failed to return calls about planning a meeting.
Public submissions on the development close on November 12.