Lord Mayor’s spectacular backflip too late to help these people

LORD Mayor Graham Quirk’s spectacular backflip on his scheme to encourage aged care and retirement villages on private sporting land will not help residents battling RetireAustralia’s Tarragindi project.

Retire Australia CEO Alison Quinn wants to redevelop the Tarragindi Bowls Club into a seniors living complex. Picture: Russell Shakespeare

LORD Mayor Graham Quirk’s spectacular backflip on his scheme to encourage aged care and retirement villages on private sporting land will not help residents battling RetireAustralia’s Tarragindi project.

He announced the backflip on ABC Radio after the State Government gave its approval for Council to consult on its aged care amendments to the Brisbane City Plan, but demanded it double the consultation period for the sport and recreation land amendments.

Cr Quirk said those conditions would further delay the consultation and adoption of amendments so he had made the “difficult decision” to move ahead without the sport and recreation land changes.

Tarragindi Residents’ Association working committee chair, Liza Wieland, said the backdown was too late and their only hope now was that one of three Planning and Environment Court appeals would succeed in blocking the project.

RetireAustralia's plan for a retirement complex at Tarragindi Bowls Club.

“It (the RetireAustralia approval) broke every one of their (Council’s) neighbourhood plan rules, it contradicts the City Plan and all of their building codes including the local high limit of 9.2m, yet they still approved it despite more than 2000 submissions,’’ she said.

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner said its approval for the project, in January, followed due consideration of the submissions.

“This application for critical retirement facilities was carefully assessed against the requirements of City Plan and State Government planning laws over an 18-month period, ensuring that the final decision was consistent with planning provisions,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Residents can build their homes up to 9.5m as a right in City Plan 2014, which is the height that has been approved next door to residents along Andrew Ave.

“The Lord Mayor’s announcement does not stop people making applications for similar projects.

“Council is legally bound to assess all applications made, on their merit, in accordance with State Government planning laws.”

Labor State MP for Miller, Mark Bailey, and Councillor Steve Griffiths (Moorooka) have both labelled the project a “disgrace’’.

“It’s a humiliating backdown by the Lord Mayor but is welcome because it will stop the development of Brisbane’s sporting and recreation land,’’ Cr Griffiths said.

“Cr Adams did not defend her residents, she allowed them to be sold out.’’