Residents can have their say on plans for a 2500-lot development near Morayfield
A major developer is planning to build a new 2500-lot development beside a protected koala habitat north of Brisbane.
Moreton
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DEVELOPER Lendlease is hoping its plans to preserve an existing koala population alongside a new 2500-lot development will be enough to satisfy the community.
The company’s proposed Pine Valley estate west of Morayfield reaches a major milestone today as plans are released for public feedback.
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Pine Valley is a masterplanned community made up of residential neighbourhoods, bushland parks and protected habitat on 254ha at Oakey Flat Rd and Jacko Pl, Morayfield.
“Pine Valley will be true to the natural landscape and will enhance the site’s iconic flora and fauna to ensure the community has an established and natural habitat to enjoy as soon as the first residents move in,” marketing for the development states.
The community, when completed, will have 2500 dwellings and be home to around 7000 people.
The community will be serviced by a 3000 sqm neighbourhood hub with a small supermarket, food services, convenience retail and personal/professional services.
No new schools are planned within the development though a single 80-place childcare centre would be established.
Because the proposal is considered to have a significant impact on the local koala population, it must undergo a referral under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
As part of this process, it must be publicly notified for 30 days during which time residents can leave feedback on matters relating to the EPBC referral.
Over the past two years, Lendlease has developed a masterplan in collaboration with community members and noted experts in zoology and ecology.
“This work has greatly influenced the plan and their sentiments have been designed into this planned 5-star Green Star Community,” Lendlease stated.
The estate includes a 50ha central spine of habitat, dotted with parks and surrounded on each side with residential housing.
It would be linear and provides movement for wildlife through to the Burpengary Creek wildlife corridor along the southern boundary.
“Our design accommodates fauna movement during and post-construction, with the early installation of devices including underpasses and strategic fauna fencing,” Pine Valley Development director Matthew Miller told Pine Rivers Press.
“Our nature play-friendly recreation and open space design also facilitates human connection with the site’s natural assets and separates habitat from roads.”
He said the habitat was not dependent on outside connections, such as immediately to the north where developer Australian National Homes plans to establish a 1700-lot housing estate and commercial centre.
Together, both developments, if approved, would add around 11,500 residents to the area.
As part of its application, Lendlease has bought a 187ha site about 4km west of Pine Valley, which will be revegetated as an environmental offset for the trees being cut down within the main estate.
“This site will support a biodiverse mix of native plants and animals, and monitored under the supervision of Dr Bill Ellis, UQ Koala Research Fellow in Zoological Science.
Once fully restored with fauna habitat, the offset site would be transferred to community ownership, wither to the council or a relevant environmental management organisation, to be protected in perpetuity.
An environmental report accompanying the application has confirmed that a suspected wallum froglet habitat on the Pine Valley site did not have a wallum froglet population.
Pine Valley would be a 5-Star Green Star community, designed around and protecting the dramatic landscape of valleys and ridges and dominant bushland corridors.
These bushland corridors will be isolated from development from the very start by the division of the site into separate precincts for Residential, Recreation & Open Space, and Environmental Management and Conservation.
The Pine Valley development application to Moreton Bay Council was also expected to be publicly notified in coming weeks.
Copies of the EPBC referral will be available to view from today until August 7.
It will be available at Strathpine Library, State Library of Queensland, by emailing epbc.referrals@environment.gov.au or on Lendlease’s Pine Valley website HERE.