Mirvac Toombul shopping centre public consultation results revealed

Developer Mirvac has revealed what 1254 northsiders want to see at a redeveloped Toombul, 12 months after the beloved shopping centre was closed due to flood damage. SEE THE WISHLIST

Northsiders do not want a huge shopping centre or high-density units built on the flood-ravaged Toombul Shopping Centre site, community feedback released by owner Mirvac has revealed.

Nearly one year after the beloved centre was wiped out in the deluge Mirvac has released results of its community survey into what residents wanted to see rebuilt at the huge inner-north site.

It comes after the development giant confirmed in September last year that retail would return in some form, with public green space and better flood mitigation.

Just over 1250 online surveys were completed, 310 people attended face-to-face consultation and 9600 suggestions were made.

Mirvac, which has said it aimed to release preliminary designs later this year, said the majority wanted something done as quickly as possible.

Most people also said they did not want an even larger shopping centre, or a development dominated by high-density housing.

Their priorities instead were a mix of retail and services, a flood-resilient design, a mix of dining and entertainment venues and public green space.

Residents also wanted better public and active transport connections.

The bus interchange at the site, one of the busiest on the northside, reopened late last year.

“The community want to see retail return, with loyalty to the former Toombul, while many are open to change and other complementary uses to extend community benefit at the site, including well-considered mixed-use,” Mirvac said in a statement on its dedicated Toombul web page.

Flooding at Toombul shopping centre. Picture: Aaron Symonds

“People told us Toombul was more than a shopping centre, it was a community

hub for the local area and they want the future offer to reflect the needs of the local

community.

“The local community told us they want planning to progress as quickly as practical,

while understanding it would take time to resolve local flooding issues.”

Local federal Labor MP, Anika Wells, who has campaigned with local state Labor MP Leanne Linard to help affected Toombul traders, said they had met Mirvac recently to discuss the consultation results.

“(They) confirmed what many residents already know — northsiders love Toombul,’’ Ms Wells said.

Kylie Holloway has written a poem about the closure of Toombul shopping centre. Since the flood there has been an outpouring of sadness at Toombul’s closure. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Thousands of responses to the Mirvac community engagement process found that people want retail back, medical services and banks returned, food and dining and good public and active transport connections to any new development on the Toombul site.

“As the one-year anniversary of the February 2022 flood approaches, we’ll be pushing Mirvac to come up with a timeline for its Toombul plan.’’

Ms Linard posted on Facebook that she told Mirvac her community wanted to know what would happen next — and when.

“The key issues I raised on behalf of our community were the need for Mirvac to deliver ongoing communication of their forward plan and the safety of local nearby residents when demolition commences,’’ she wrote.

“We will continue to ensure our community’s voice is represented in future decisions for the site.’’

The survey results came as details emerged of the first law suit from flood-affected traders.

Mirvac doubled its initial (voluntary) compensation offer last year after intense public pressure from retailers, many of whom had no insurance because the site has repeatedly flooded in the past.

Many retailers have said they had lost their life savings and could not afford to start again.

Others managed to reopen at nearby shopping centres or high streets, but faced enormous stock losses, the write-off of expensive fit-outs and weeks of lost trade while they were closed.