Secret state document shows support for Toondah Harbour high-rise housing project

The state government has backed a controversial housing estate, featuring a 3600-apartment complex, in Moreton Bay despite plans for the project to be built on environmentally significant Ramsar wetlands.

Toondah Harbour from the air, showing the ferry and barge terminal at the top of the photo and GJ Walter Park and the Grand View Hotel in the foreground. Picture: Supplied

The state government has backed the controversial Toondah Harbour housing estate despite plans for the project to be built on environmentally significant Ramsar wetlands.

The state planning department outlined its support for the Walker Group’s 3600-apartment complex, and marina, in a confidential supplementary submission which was sent directly to Canberra.

Full details of the state stance, including any conditions to be imposed on the Cleveland housing development, will remain secret until after Federal Environment minister Tanya Plibersek decides the project’s fate, expected in the next month.

An artist’s impression of the Walker Group’s plans for Cleveland’s Toondah Harbour. Graphic: Walker Group

A State Development spokesman said the supplementary submission outlined the benefits of the project for meeting housing supply issues in the Redland City Council area.

The spokesman said the government supported the revitalisation of the ferry terminal subject to a rigorous environmental assessment.

“The Department of Environment and Science prepared a submission which provided a number of comments for consideration by the Walker Group to assist with finalising its EIS,” the spokesman said.

“The Department also provided a supplementary submission that identifies how environmental impacts should be balanced against the economic benefits of the proposal and the project’s contribution towards meeting housing supply issues in the Redland City Council area.

“This environmental impact statement is required to address potential impacts of the project on wetlands subject to the Ramsar International Convention, listed threatened species and ecological communities, and migratory species.”

Parts of the foreshore at Cleveland are listed as being significant under the International Ramsar Convention. Picture: Supplied

The state document, a response to a draft environmental impact statement released by the federal government last year, was submitted directly to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation unit.

All other submissions, estimated to be more than 25,000, have been sent to developer Walker Group’s town planning consultants Saunders Havill, which prides itself as offering “no fuss” planning approvals.

The federal Environment Department said Walker Group was currently addressing all comments which will be included in a final environmental impact statement with no time frame set.

“The minister will consider the final EIS, all comments received, statutory and policy documents and Australia’s international obligations, before making a decision on whether to approve the proposal,” the department said.

Redland mayor Karen Williams signed a deal with Lang walker of walker Group in 2014. Picture: Courier-Mail

Walker Group is yet to release the exact number of submissions however community lobby group Redlands2030 said it was aware of more than 25,000 opposing the project.

Calls for the state government to reveal its stance on the proposal, which includes 60 buildings of various heights including tower blocks and a marina, followed a peaceful protest by 1000 people in Cleveland on the weekend.

Redlands2030 said it was time for the state government to reveal details of its submissions about the project.

“It’s absurd to suggest that building luxury waterfront housing over a 20-year time frame is the answer to the southeast Queensland housing crisis.”

Thousands of people attended a peaceful protest on the weekend to stop the Toondah Harbour housing project. Picture: Contributed

Former federal MP for the area Andrew Laming said the community was entitled to see all state Labor submissions on the Toondah process.

“If Queensland’s Department of Planning has had any correspondence on the Toondah assessment process, I simply want the community to see it in real time,” Mr Laming said.

The $3.4 billion Toondah Harbour project is a state government priority development proposed by billionaire Lang Walker’s Walker Group for the Cleveland ferry terminal.

Former federal MP Andrew Laming called for the state government to release details of its submissions on Toondah Harbour plans. Picture: Courier-Mail.

Walker Group plans to build more than 20 tower blocks of units on the waterfront on reclaimed land inside the protected Ramsar wetlands using the soil excavated from around the ferry terminal site.

The submissions followed public consultation, which closed in December, and will be added to a draft environmental impact statement released in October.

Once finalised, Walker Group will submit the final environmental impact statement to the department, along with a copy of all public comments received and a summary of how issues have been addressed.