Toowoomba councillor Gary Gardner calls for fast-track to planning scheme after $8.8m cost blowout revealed

A Toowoomba councillor has called for the fast-track of a long-delayed council project, that has cost nearly $9m since the start of the decade.

Maverick Toowoomba councillor Gary Gardner has slammed delays to the council’s most important planning document, after the true almost $9 million cost of the project was revealed.

The noted developer and prominent businessman’s motion at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting, which was unanimously endorsed, called for the council to prioritise the delivery of the new regional planning scheme that has been in the works for up to a decade.

The massive document governs how a council manages the short and long-term growth of cities and towns by providing a guide to developers on what are acceptable developments in certain areas.

New chief executive Sal Petroccitto will now present a report to councillors in October outlining a “detailed resourcing and project management plan”.

Councillor Gary Gardner leaves the room after declaring a conflict of interest at a council meeting to discuss the future of Toowoomba City Aerodrome (also know as Toowoomba Airport), Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

It comes after the TRC revealed the council had spent in excess of $8.8m on developing the planning scheme since 2020, following a question on notice by Mr Gardner delivered at Tuesday’s ordinary meeting.

Corporate services general manager Ann-Marie Johnston told councillors the actual figure was potentially much higher, given the TRC had first started working on it prior to 2020.

“Our records indicate that the council has spent $8.8 million on the total costs since 1 July 2020 on the planning scheme — so that is $6.1 million in external costs and $2.7 million internal costs,” she said.

“There have been costs incurred prior to that date, so it’s over and above that $8.8 million, and with restructures and changes within the branch, the financial services team are currently working to ascertain what those additional costs are.”

This figure is already more than double the $3m that the new planning scheme was estimated to cost in 2019, when the council’s planning department at the time identified 30 key issues with the existing 2012 document.

In 2023, following news of the departure of high-level bureaucrat Heath Martin, it was believed the cost of delivering the new scheme had blown out to $11m.

In the statement through an external marketing firm, Mr Gardner called for an end to the fortnightly planning scheme meetings with councillors.

“This scheme has been in development for over 10 years and still isn’t finalised,” he said.

“Meanwhile, developers are frustrated, residents are confused, and staff are stretched — the community deserves better.

“Prolonged internal processes have failed to deliver timely outcomes.

“Council’s current approach is overly bureaucratic and no longer aligned with community expectations or operational best practice.

“If we want to grow our rate base, attract investment, and fund infrastructure - planning is the lever.

“The faster we enable good development, the stronger our community becomes.”