Yeronga Bowls Club development: Council rejects unit plans forcing heritage club to face closure

A MAKE-or-break plan for the Yeronga Bowls Club to sell a green for a residential unit development has been rejected by council.

A design image of the proposed development to replace one of the greens at the Yeronga Bowls Club. Photo: CONTRIBUTED

THE heritage-listed Yeronga Bowls Club may be forced to shut down after a last-ditch attempt to save the struggling club was today rejected by Brisbane City Council.

The Querrin St club committee was attempting to sell one of its greens to developer Lennium Group, to raise funds for repairs to and shore up the future of the club.

Yeronga Bowls Club chairman Brett McClelland said earlier this year it was the final attempt to save the club.

“If this doesn’t go through, we close the doors, it’s that simple,” he said at the time.

The sale of the green was contingent on the councils approval of the four storey, 50-unit residential facility development application lodged to council in May.

A design image showing the proposal to redevelop the Yeronga Bowls Club.

But after months of deliberation and more than 30 community submissions made during the public consultation period, council moved to reject the development on December 9.

Yeronga Bowls Club treasurer Marian Wilson said the club had only just rejected the news and was “absolutely and totally devastated”.

“It is very, very unfair, we haven’t taken it all in at the moment,” she said.

She said unless something else came up as a matter of urgency, the club would shut down.

“Unlike what some people think that it will stay on as a community club, it won’t. It will be closed,” she said.

In a letter to Lennium Group council wrote the application “failed to demonstrate compliance” on seven key points. These included the Brisbane City Plan 2014, provisions of the sport and recreation zone and heritage overlay codes.

Brisbane City Councillor Nicole Johnston, who had opposed the development, said council made “the right decision”.

“This is a win for our community,” Cr Johnston said.

But there may be one last hope for the club with Lennium Group developer Andrew Boyd revealing to City South News last month he would change tact and apply for a retirement facility if the initial residential unit proposal failed.

Mr Boyd said he would submit a fresh application to council under the recent amendment to the Brisbane City Plan 2014 that offered “a more streamlined approach” to building retirement facilities. Under the amendments for retirement facilities, Lennium Group could apply for five levels and a greater density.

A Brisbane City Council spokeswoman said council’s grounds for refusal included the height of the planned building and proposed change of use of land from Sport and Recreation to residential.

“Council also considered the strong community objection to this proposal, which was a factor in this decision,” the council spokeswoman said.