Baysiders voice concerns over retirement home development

Baysiders are still opposed to plans for a new retirement home despite changes to the development.

The proposed Anglicare and Village Retirement Group plan for Lota. Picture: Supplied

RESIDENTS of Brisbane’s bayside are still opposed to plans for a retirement home development in the area despite two community consultation sessions this week.

The Village Retirement Group and Anglicare held two information sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday night about redesigned plans for retirement living units on land adjacent to the heritage-listed Lota House.

Following criticism of the initial plans from local residents and members of all three levels of government in the area, TVRG made changes which included dropping the height from seven storeys to six and reducing the amount of units from 104 to 102.

TVRG managing director Justin Harrison said around 130 residents attended to information sessions and were given the opportunity to review the changes and provide feedback.

“While some residents remain concerned about the scale of the development, others understand the need for retirement living options in this community and quite a few people want to know when it will be built so that they can move in,” he said.

Member for Bonner Ross Vasta, Member for Lytton Joan Pease and Wynnum Manly councillor Peter Cumming at the meeting with residents opposed to the Lota House development following the initial plans.

Cheri Crane from the Bayside Action Group, who orchestrated a campaign against the initial plans for the facility, said residents were still upset, angry and distressed about the development.

“Even with the recent changes, this development will have a massive impact on the Lota House, the surrounding trees and habitat as well as the traffic and roads near the site,” she said.

“We are just amazed at how this place (Lota House) can be held to such little value.

“I spoke with a lot of people who were at the meetings and they weren’t very happy with the presentation and felt nothing was going to change anyway.”

Labor city councillor for Wynnum Manly Peter Cumming said while he believed the sessions were a great avenue to communicate with residents about the development, he felt the same issues remained.

“It was great to have these sessions just for locals to be able to raise their concerns and ask questions but I still think the height of the development will impact the area too much and I believe most people felt the same,” he said.

“Even though they can still go ahead with the development despite the concern of local residents because of changes to the City Plan and retirement living, I hope this provides a platform for further engagement between the developers and the community.”

The heritage-listed Lota House is owned by the Anglican Church.