School assessment process concerns council
Brisbane City Council has expressed concerns over the assessment process for a new Catholic high school proposed for Brisbane’s North.
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BRISBANE City Council has expressed concerns over the assessment process for a new Catholic high school proposed for Brisbane’s North.
Council is concerned the application direct to the State Planning Minister will leave residents with no say on how the school will impact their community.
Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) plans to open a co-ed school for up to 900 students at 441 Beams Rd, Fitzgibbon, with the first intake of Year 7 students from semester 1, 2022.
The Fitzgibbon Private Secondary College is proposed for a 5.76ha block which is currently operated as a golf driving range and is zoned low-medium density residential.
BCE has applied for a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) direct to the Planning Minister rather than lodge a development application through council.
BCE communications manager John Phelan said Ministerial Designations were sought when this was deemed possible and the most efficient way to proceed.
“In both processes, members of the public are invited to view the plans and make submissions,” he said.
“We always strive to be good neighbours and take into account any community or parent concerns. We regularly adjust our plans based on feedback received from a range of interested parties.”
Brisbane City Planning Chair Matthew Bourke said Council believed these developments should be assessed like other proposals through Council’s planning scheme.
“Ministerial Infrastructure Designations are a secretive process that takes away local residents’ rights to have their say on development that affects their community,” Cr Bourke said.
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However, a Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning (SDMIP) spokesman said applicants were required to engage with the council and local community before submitting a MID request.
“Further consultation including the placement of a newspaper advert and signs on the land are required as part of the designation process,” the spokesman said.
“As required, Brisbane Catholic Education undertook engagement with the council and local community before submitting a designation request for the Fitzgibbon Private Secondary College.”
According to a report prepared to support the MID, there was a three-week pre-consultation with local stakeholders and BCE received eight submissions supporting the proposal and 29 “providing commentary for further consideration”.
Adrian Sirianni, who lives in a retirement village across from the proposed school, has raised concerns about increased traffic (especially around drop-off and pick-up times), pedestrian crossings and sidewalks, and lack of parking.
“There are people parking at the service station to pick up children who attend the (Catholic primary) school across the road,” Mr Sirianni said.
“Also, the road isn’t wide enough with the amount of traffic going through … and it goes from two lanes to one lane.
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“We get a lot of students walking along the footpath. After school, because it’s so packed they move down towards the golf range and I can see a huge bottleneck forming in that area.
“Kids are all crossing the road. When you have a mix of the young and the elderly (from the retirement village) who don’t always pay attention to things, it’s a recipe for disaster.
“The State Government needs to look at the infrastructure there before plonking down a major development,” Mr Sirianni said.
The SDMIP spokesman said the MID assessment process “supports a comprehensive assessment of the potential social, economic and environmental impacts of each proposed designation.
“It helps to facilitate a streamlined whole-of-government assessment of community-supporting infrastructure, such as schools and other social infrastructure.
“In 2018-19 financial year, 66 designations were made for important projects including schools, emergency services, health care and sporting facilities. Of these, 48 designations were made for schools.”
The BCE designation is currently in consultation phase until November 21 and anyone can have their say by going online and clicking on ‘requests open for consultation’.
BCE is also holding a community information session on Tuesday, October 29 between 4.30pm and 7.30pm at St Flannan’s Catholic Primary School hall, 420 Beams Rd.
At the session there will be an opportunity to view the site and facility plans, learn about the proposed curriculum offerings, discuss the enrolment process and timing, and meet BCE staff who are planning the new college.
Mr Phelan said BCE would contact local residents directly and there would be further information sessions held as the development proceeds over the next few years.
The BCE school proposal includes buildings ranging from one to three storeys, a large oval and tennis courts, pedestrian connection points, staff parking, a retention of a vegetated buffer to the north and northwest corner adjoining houses, and rehabilitated wetlands to the northeast.
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