George Weston Foods kills plan for 1000-lot housing estate in Toowoomba after battle with council

It was touted as a major development that could help ease the city’s housing woes. But now the estate is dead in the water, after a six-year battle with council that ended up in the courts.

A massive 1000-lot housing estate planned right next to the future Toowoomba Hospital site is dead in the water, with the developer walking away after a six-year battle with the council.

A massive 1000-lot housing estate planned right next to the future Toowoomba Hospital site is dead in the water, with the developer walking away after a six-year battle with the council.

British company George Weston Foods, which lodged plans for the new 54-hectare estate Northgate Vista on land bordering Mort and Griffiths Streets in Harlaxton in 2016, this week discontinued its legal proceedings that it started in 2020 in the hope of getting a result from the council.

The decision to walk away is a major blow to Toowoomba’s already stretched housing market and future supply, with figures within the development industry blaming council for the result.

Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl said he had been “flabbergasted” by the council’s handling of the project.

“It’s very disappointing that a national award-winning developer has turned its back during a housing crisis,” he said.

“My understanding is it’s really about the developer’s inability to find common ground with Toowoomba Regional Council.

“It leaves us perched on the edge of a cliff in terms of the lack of lots available to meet demand of businesses wanting to house workers here in Toowoomba.

“I’m flabbergasted of the opportunity lost for the city.”

The council listed 11 reasons why the estate shouldn’t be approved, in court documents lodged last year.

The reasons included 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.

The Chamber of Commerce has invited the council to a meeting on April 29.

Councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan said the council’s independent experts did not believe the project stacked up.

“Council’s independent experts were of the opinion that the development application was not

supported by technical data and information that would warrant the approval of the proposed development, particularly in relation to issues around noise and odour, additional traffic impacts, inadequate flood modelling and contamination hazards at the site, among others,” she said.

“George Weston Foods’ experts and council’s experts jointly identified that additional technical information was required to be prepared to undertake a proper assessment of the development application for the court.

“Not all of this information could be provided.

“Council has a responsibility to ensure approved developments do not adversely affect surrounding residents and businesses.

“Council has followed a transparent and thorough process.

“Council’s position was that the significant technical issues associated with the proposed

development ought to be resolved as part of the current development application, rather than

being delayed to subsequent development applications, in respect to parts of the site.”