Toowoomba Regional Council reveals in court documents why it says Northgate Vista should be refused

It had been under assessment for more almost four years when the developer decided to force an outcome through the courts. Now Toowoomba Regional Council has given its reasons for why this 1350-lot estate should be refused.

Toowoomba Regional Council has outlined in court its reasons why a 1350 dwelling housing estate proposed in 2016 should not go ahead.

George Weston Foods first lodged a development application seeking preliminary approval to establish the 1350 lot masterplanned Northgate Vista project on land north of Griffiths St in November 2016.

But in October 2020, the company became one of two developers to file appeals in the Planning and Environment Court against TRC, seeking approvals for their housing estates.

The council in documents filed in the P&E Court has listed 11 reasons the proposed development should be refused.

Toowoomba Regional Council reveals in court documents why it says Northgate Vista should be refused

The reasons include inadequate master planning, proximity to industrial land, proximity to road and rail corridors, contamination issues, traffic issues, provision of water and sewerage infrastructure, provision of stormwater and drainage infrastructure, flooding issues, and open space issues.

Detailing further its reasons, the council said the proposed development “does not adequately separate or protect sensitive land uses” in three of the estate’s precincts “from the impact of existing and future land uses” in the medium and high impact industry zones.

The council said the development also did not adequately separate or protect sensitive land uses in the same areas from the impact of nearby road and rail corridors, such as the Toowoomba Bypass, in respect of noise.

A report commissioned by George Weston Foods and previously lodged with TRC as part of the development process found evidence of lead and asbestos contamination on parts of the land the company intended to develop.

Listed in the reasons for refusal, TRC said the land had known and potential land contamination issues, parts of the property were on the Environmental Management Register, and there had been a “lack of a comprehensive contamination investigation of the subject land”.

The council also claimed it had not been demonstrated the proposed development, including its sixth precinct, would be adequately serviced by water and wastewater infrastructure.