Sunnybank residents outraged over Trudgian St development
A community in Brisbane’s south is calling on Brisbane City Council to stick to its word and protect their backyards from overdevelopment.
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A COMMUNITY in Brisbane’s south is calling on Brisbane City Council to stick to its word and protect their backyards.
Sunnybank residents are rallying to oppose plans for a developer to build 24 townhouses and 20 units over five stages in the already busy Trudgian St.
The street is already bursting at the seams catering to locals and the traffic caused by Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, which has a pick up/drop off zone on the same street.
Residents have told the Southern St ar they were concerned about pedestrian and child safety, the increase of traffic and the size of the development.
Trudgian St long-time resident Leila Tate, who lives next to the site, said the size of the development and access to it was a huge concern for locals as well as traffic, pedestrian and child safety.
“It shouldn’t be allowed to happen,” she said.
A sentiment shared by all her neighbours, including Rotary Club of Salisbury president Alan Charles who told the Southern Star he was concerned about the sheer size of the development but also about the length of construction.
“It is not low-density,” he said.
“There has been no community consultation.”
Cr Kim Marx said: “The development application for 1 Trudgian Street is currently open for feedback from the community and I encourage all residents to have their say.
“Council has already raised concerns about the size of the development and I don’t support the proposal in its current form.”
State Member for Toohey Peter Russo said the plans for both developments should not be approved.
“I am concerned that this is another example of the BCC not listening to residents, it is a pity that his is the way they seem to deal with these matters, they don’t really look at the impact on the local community,” he said.
“I encourage everyone concerned about the issue to contact my office and I will help them in any way I can.”
The developer has been contacted for comment through Tam Dang Planning Pty Ltd.
The proposal is open for public notification until December, 18.
What residents say
Shearwin St resident Christine O’Kane wrote in her submission she was objecting to the development on the grounds of: 1. Not consistent with the intent for the area:
This is Sunnybank not Hong Kong and the very idea of this development is ludicrous, There is single access yet the developer declined an offer to buy in the street behind.
2. Neither scale nor design is compatible with surrounding development intent for the area:
I recognise that high density is important but should be done with quality and discretion and feel that four well-designed homes would be far more suitable.
Of course the income generated from multiple dwellings cannot compete with four homes but is this moral? In June our Lord Mayor declared he wants to “save Brisbane’s back yards”
3. Potential traffic and carparking issues associated with the development:
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School is just metres from the intended development site. We love living so close to the school and have only to walk past one house to drop and pick up our granddaughter, our grandson (3) will also attend the school.
We love being able to walk to church, bus and train and being part of this wonderful community. We adjusted our lifestyle to cope with the traffic congestion.
For instance before retirement I worked at night and my husband started early. Now in retirement we never attempt to leave home at school drop off and pick up and always ask that tradesmen come outside those hours.
Shearwin Street and Trudgian Street are narrow and congestion also occurs when there is a school function, parking is quite frankly frightening.
If multiple dwellings are permitted at 1 Trudgian Street the situation would be untenable, endangering the lives of children, our precious human resources.
Parent Babu Abraham wrote in her submission to council: I am writing concerning the development of 1 Trudgian Street. I would like to say the development would
cause both major problems for both the residents and the parents who send their children to the school.
Not only is it a hazard for traffic and parking places but also the safety of both the residents and the children attending the school. As a parent I am concerned about the welfare of my children and other children who attend the school.
Once development and construction finish the new residents could be anyone and this is a problem for the kids who are picked up from the area. New residents could cause problems for parents during school times, by parking out in the driveway and making it impossible to get to the allocated pick-up zone.
I am also concerned about who and what type of people would by the new apartments, especially criminals and drug addicts. I am frightened to think my children could be in any danger because of this development. So, I plead to you that this development does not go ahead.
Concerned daughter Vanessa Tate says:
I am writing to voice my concerns over the current development
proposed for 1 Trudgian Street, Sunnybank. The proposal for (44) townhomes and units in a Low Density Residential zone is outrageous. Access to this development is via a small easement, which feeds into a cul-de-sac sac that carries school traffic. Trudgian Street is already congested each morning and afternoon and the addition of hundreds of extra cars each day due to the development is simply unsafe and unacceptable.
The likelihood of emergency services being able to gain access to a house on Trudgian Street at school drop off and pick up times is categorically impossible. The impact of noise, rubbish and increased likelihood of crime is also a huge concern. In addition, the only access to the development is via a small easement meaning that the home of my elderly mother at 3 Trudgian Street will be hugely impacted and it’s value considerably less if this development proceeds.
Furthermore, the bin bay is intended to be located at the back fence of 3 Trudgian Street — this is both unsafe and offensive and will no doubt attract pests and noise.
Perhaps most distressing is the burden imposed on citizens (many of them senior) living in Trudgian Street who have now been tasked with the huge job of collecting evidence of the community dissatisfaction with the proposed development. The burden of proof again resting on the victims of development. This is totally unacceptable and Brisbane City Council needs to lift their game.
I am not opposed to development as long as it is appropriate and acceptable to the community who have to live there, who have made it a community and raised their families there. There are far less impacting options for developing this land including housing or even aged care where the traffic impact would be considerably less. This is an outrage and common sense must prevail. And yes I have lodged my objection through the appropriate pathways but feel you need to be aware of this proposal and answerable to the people of Brisbane and appreciate how they are impacted by developers who have no interest in the communities they intend to destroy (other than financial).
Trudgian Street resident Neil Fludder wrote in his submission:
I am concerned with the development application to build 24 townhouses and 20 units, over 5 stages, at 1 Trudgian St, Sunnybank.
I am concerned about the impact of this development, both during and after construction.
Both Trudgian Street and Shearwin Street are narrower than the normal suburban streets.
Our Lady of Lourdes catholic primary school is located on the property bounded by Mains Road, Shearwin and Trudgian Streets. The school has two drop off zones, one in each of Trudgian and Shearwin Streets. The school also has an out of school care facility in Trudgian street.
The out of school hours facility operates 6.30-8.30am and 3-6pm Monday to Friday. The school’s drop off zones operate before and after school hours. Many of the parents/guardians of the school drive their children to and from the school Monday to Friday.
There is a Catholic Church in Mains Road adjacent to Our Lady of Lourdes catholic primary school. The parishioners of the church park in Shearwin and Trudgian streets on a Saturday evening and Sunday mornings.
There are also special event days such as the School fete, School Christmas concert and Church activities like large funerals and special church feast days where the parking in Shearwin and Trudgian streets is lined on both sides, leaving little room for the existing residents to enter or exit the street.
Shearwin and Trudgian streets are also used as a primary access for many other residences in other streets in the local area. This is because it is not possible to turn right from Mains Road into Mulgowie Street travelling down Mains Rd from Kessels Road. Exiting Shearwin street to turn right into Mains road, at present can take up to 2/3 light changes, depending on the time of day.
Combined with that is the public transport situation. There is a bus stop in Mains Road and a train station at Altandi.
There is already an overflow of commuters parking in Shearwin, Trudgian and Mulgowie streets, some of these commuter’s park legally and some do not. The Brisbane City Council parking officers continually patrol the area.
There are already several parking restrictions in place in Trudgian and Shearwin streets, I am concerned that the residents will endure even greater traffic restrictions if this development were to proceed.
This is the level of traffic congestion the residents of Shearwin and Trudgian streets experience daily at present.
I am concerned with the safety of the children entering or exiting the school as well as numerous elderly residents in Trudgian Street. Should there be a medical emergency, fire or other emergency that requires an emergency vehicle to access Shearwin or Trudgian streets during peak hours of traffic at present would be difficult.
The increased traffic flow from the development during and after construction would severely impact on the current traffic flow problems already faced by the current residents. I also note that the development has provision for visitor parking, should those spaces allocated become occupied then there would be an overflow with visitors parking in Trudgian street, again adding to the, traffic problems above.
There is a narrow entrance point to the development and this also has the potential to cause traffic disruption in Trudgian Street.
I am concerned that although I consider Sunnybank as a low/medium density suburb, this development I see as a very high-density development and not in keeping with the surrounding area.
I am also concerned that such a development will have the possibility of increasing the crime rate within the area due to it proximity to the rail corridor and the number of dwellings located in the development.
I strongly oppose the development of 1 Trudgian Street Sunnybank on the grounds of traffic and traffic congestion, children’s safety, elderly safety, storm water run off and that the development is not in keeping with the surrounding area.
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