Big problem facing any sale of Toowoomba Aerodrome

A PROPERTY consultant's suggestion that the Toowoomba Regional Council close the city's aerodrome and sell the land for property development was controversial.

Toowoomba City Aerodrome. Picture: Andrew Backhouse

A PROPERTY consultant's suggestion that the Toowoomba Regional Council close the city's aerodrome and sell the land for property development was controversial among residents.

But a major problem has surfaced that could hinder any possible development at the site.

Toowoomba consultant Gordon Grover this week said the council could stand to make millions by moving all the current tenants and operations at the aerodrome to the privately-owned Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, and redevelop the land for residential use.

But the Queensland Department of Environment and Science confirmed the site of the aerodrome was once a dump, something several residents pointed out in response to Mr Grover's comments.

A spokesman for the department said the aerodrome's previous use as a landfill placed it on the Environmental Management Register, which is reserved for land that has been subject to contamination.

"The Department of Environment and Science manages an Environmental Management Register and a Contaminated Land Register for land that has the potential to be contaminated, or that is deemed to be contaminated," he said.

"The Toowoomba Aerodrome is listed on the EMR, and was previously used for landfill, but is not currently listed on the CLR.

"The EMR provides information about whether a particular site was subjected to contamination or used for a notifiable activity' that had potential to cause land contamination - such as cattle dips, landfills, or fuel storage sites.

"For a site to be listed on the CLR, it must be first listed on the EMR and also deemed to be contaminated land."

A report from the DES showed the site of the aerodrome could be contaminated by aerial spraying, landfill and petroleum product or oil storage.

Specialised Property Consulting director Gordon Grover. Picture: Contributed

While some residents thought the idea had merit, several readers expressed exasperation at the thought of moving dozens of businesses away from the aerodrome.

"Wellcamp isn't really a Toowoomba airport, it is a private facility and can be withheld from other users at the owner's wish," Campbell Sharp wrote.

"The cost that would be incurred by existing businesses based in Mutze Street in relocating to the Wellcamp location would see the end of many of them.

"At present there is no real facility at Wellcamp for GA and light aviation activity."

Deputy Mayor Carol Taylor previously said there were no plans to sell the airport, adding it was a valuable part of the region's aviation infrastructure.

"With more than 25,000 aircraft movements per year, the Toowoomba City Aerodrome is vital to the general aviation sector of the Darling Downs region and further afield," she said.

"The Toowoomba City Aerodrome provides a number of aviation ancillary services and facilities, with around 30 businesses operating at the aerodrome."

Originally published as Big problem facing any sale of Toowoomba Aerodrome