Toondah Harbour developer submits new proposal, but environmentalists and residents still do not approve

THE developer of the $1.39 billion Toondah Harbour project has submitted a new proposal for environmental assessment.

An artist's impression of part of Walker Group’s $1.39 billion Toondah Harbour development. Picture: Supplied

THE developer of the $1.39 billion Toondah Harbour project has submitted a new proposal for environmental assessment.

But environmentalists and residents opposed to the Walker Corporation’s plan say it would affect migratory shorebirds at the Ramsar wetlands.

The proposal includes 3600 residences and a revamp of Cleveland’s ferry terminal.

BirdLife Southern Queensland says this proposal, submitted to the Federal Government, provides less detail than the previous one.

Group convener Judith Hoyle said the plan would impact the internationally-recognised wetlandwhich would need to be excised for the development to go ahead .

More than 20 bird species flock to the mudflats each year.

“We have 35 per cent of the world’s population of the eastern curlew and other endangered shorebirds that come to Moreton Bay as part of their migration,” Ms Hoyle said.

“There is already a massive decline in the population of many shorebirds.

“It’s disingenuous to say the area and birds will not be affected … to excise a Ramsar site is inappropriate.”

However, Walker Corporation said it had reduced the development footprint to increase the buffer between the development and the shorebird high tide roost site.

The matter is before the Federal Government, which must make a decision on the project’s potential environmental impacts.

The company is seeking permission to move on to an environmental impact study stage.

The proposal has already been deferred by Walker Corporation six times since the first submission in November 2015.

Public comment on the new proposal is open until tomorrow and can be made by emailing [e-mail]

To view the referral, visit bit.ly/2qbvYuk and search for reference 2017/7939.