Ratepayers beg Logan City Council to decline development application because of an ‘already dangerous’ intersection
Ratepayers are begging a South East Queensland Council not to approve a worship temple saying it will make an ‘already dangerous’ intersection worse.
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Ratepayers are begging a South East Queensland Council not to approve a controversial development application, saying it will make an ‘already dangerous intersection’ worse.
Locals have expressed their fears of increased ‘road rage’ and ‘unbearable traffic’ at a well-known intersection if Logan City Council was to approve an application for a place of worship nearby.
The development application is for 1-3 Loganlea Road, Waterford West.
The National Spiritual Assembly of Bahai’s of Australia is proposing a place of worship, function centre, short term accommodation, caretaker’s residence and education establishment for Waterford West.
The site is approximately 5km west of the M1 Motorway, 2km south of Logan Hospital, and 3km south of Griffith University Logan Campus.
There is a four-way intersection, which is of concern, right near the Waterford West address.
The intersection already has existing businesses on three corners.
- North-western corner (Loganlea Road/Kingston Road) – Club Hotel Waterford;
- South-western corner (Tygum Road/Kingston Road) – Waterford Plaza and Car Park; and
- South-eastern corner (Tygum Road/Albert Street) – Little Bunyas Childcare Centre.
Jane and Pam Taylor, who have lived in Waterford West for 39 years, said they believed approving this DA could lead to increased road rage.
“There has been many occasions the area in which the development is proposed has been under water or partially affected by water. As this area incorporates a natural run off from the Logan River and the land itself floods, once this land is developed … flood water will be forced to distribute elsewhere which will causing flooding to areas not flooded before,” they said.
“The other major concern would be the increase of traffic to an intersection which is already
inundated.
“The intersection is dangerous already, constant screeching of tyres, running of red lights, accidents, congestion, blocked intersections and increased road rage.”
Debbie Crowe from Loganlea agreed, saying that intersection is already dangerous.
“There is often accidents on the corner already and it also floods quite quickly,” Ms Crowe said.
“I think it should be left alone.”
According to the development application, its purpose is to establish a mixed-use community centre for the Baha’is of Queensland, with a focus on youth education and (temporary) rooming accommodation.
The application proposes there will be a 28.23 sqm caretaker’s residence which will be a self-contained unit, 263.6 sqm of rooming accomodation for 80 students and two short staffrooms, an educational establishment for 154 students and 16 staff members, a 177 sqm main hall for 170 people at a time, a 54.2 sqm amphitheatre for 72 people at a time, and ten offices across 156.32 sqm.
The full site area would be 14,547 sqm, the building would cover 2,322 sqm of the site, and there would be 39 car parks available.
The development application was submitted back on May 25 this year, however it has resurfaced as a controversial topic after Deputy Mayor Jon Raven shared his thoughts regarding the application. This prompted over 275 comments on social media from concerned and outraged ratepayers, and more than 25 objections to be submitted via the Logan Council online development portal.
“I am supportive of the use, but I’m concerned about traffic safety issues with the driveway being so close to this very busy intersection,” Cr Raven said.
“Residents have also raised concerns around flooding on the site.”
Glenn Burrows from Marsden said he believed the DA should not be approved.
“This will cause so much more congestion. Please decline this,” he said.
Jessica Jones from Waterford West said it’s too close to such a ‘dangerous’ and ‘busy’ intersection.
Kathryn Gurney from Holmview said she objects to the DA.
“The amount of accidents that happen there already are too many,” Ms Gurney said.
“This is too dangerous.”
Rachelle Mulraney from Loganlea said this was a ‘terrible, terrible idea’.
Shane Drew from Logan Village said he hopes this DA ‘is a joke’.
“The traffic is already going back up to Webb road in peak hour as it is. Anyone that lives in this vicinity knows that this will just add more traffic drama to already crazy traffic congestion,” Mr Drew said.
Cr Raven said although objections don’t guarantee that a DA is refused, he would encourage more concerned ratepayers to make online objections.
“No or very few objections means it almost definitely gets approved as is,” Cr Raven said.
Cr Raven also confirmed Logan City Council is not responsible for that intersection.
“I’d love to fix the intersection but because it connects to Kingston Road it’s managed by the State Government,” he said.
The due date for objections and submissions is December 17, and they can be made here.
A spokesperson for the National Spiritual Assembly of Bahai’s of Australia has provided the following comment:
“The proposed facility is not a temple, but an educational facility designed to support community building programs aimed at strengthening social cohesion in the area,” they said.
“We anticipate the traffic impact of the facility to be minimal.
“We have been working closely with the Logan City Council to ensure the facility is an appropriate and valuable addition to the Waterford West and Logan community.”
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