New development threat to 108-year-old bowls green
One of Queensland’s oldest bowls clubs has sold an historic green to a developer which has lodged new plans to build over the green, despite howls of protest.
Local
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local. Followed categories will be added to My News.
First there was going to be a five-storey unit complex, now a developer has floated plans to build five houses on one of Queensland’s oldest bowling greens.
A developer last week submitted plans with Brisbane City Council for Macgregor green, on the Yeronga Bowls Club (YBC) site.
YBC said the green was no longer owned by them and it had “no further interest in what happens to that site’’.
The news comes after a scathing Supreme Court judgment on the unit complex plans last year.
Resident Nick Read said he feared the developer would try to build houses on the green, dating to 1912, after it applied earlier this year to build five driveways.
Council approved three of the driveways in March and April, despite taking developer Lennium Group Pty Ltd to court over the unit project. Two driveways did not require approval.
“If this (latest DA) is approved it will be completely contrary to the Supreme Court judgment — what’s the point of having courts if their rulings are ignored?’’ Mr Read said.
“Hopefully Council will not approve this. If they do they will have to contradict their own experts (who gave evidence in the court case).’’
Mr Read said there was very little other land zoned for sport and recreation in the area.
More woes for 108-year-old heritage bowls green
Councillor Nicole Johnston (Tennyson) said she was disappointed with the DA.
She said she had been chasing Council to make the club remediate damage to the Macgregor Green following works at the Querrin St site last October.
“It’s disappointing the developers attempting to take advantage of the damage they have caused on the heritage listed sport and recreation land at the former Yeronga Bowls Club to lodge another DA,’’ she said.
“Council, the Supreme Court of Queensland and our community has been clear this land should be protected from residential development.
“I’m not sure why the developers aren’t listening.’’
A Council officer previously wrote to Cr Johnston to say no legal action would be taken against Lennium, or the club, as Council was unable to gather sufficient evidence to prove if an offence had occurred.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner wrote to Cr Johnston on Monday to reiterate his administration’s view that land zoned for sport and recreation should be reatained for that purpose.
“The heritage overlay remains on the site and Council has no plan to remove it,’’ Cr Schrinner said.
“It should be noted that while the five lots have previously been used for one purpose, they are still registered as five individual lots.
“As such, there is nothing preventing the property owner from applying for a driveway permit for each lot.
“I understand compliance action is currently active on this site in relation to overgrown
vegetation and illegal dumping.’’
YBC has still not held its annual general meeting, which has been delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
It was expected YBC would use the meeting to try to wind up the club after an earlier wind-up vote did not attract sufficient votes.
For more details on the latest DA, visit Council’s online development portal pdonline and search for application A005511472.