Residents slam 50-home Mount Lofty estate as ‘insidious suburban creep’

Residents have slammed a proposed 50-home subdivision on Toowoomba’s escarpment as “insidious suburban creep” that threatens koala habitat and community amenity. Read both sides here.

A 50-lot subdivision on Rifle Range Rd in Mount Lofty has been lodged by businessman Andrew Kibble.

A proposed subdivision by a noted businessman that would create lots for 50 homes along the Toowoomba escarpment has been slammed by residents, with some describing it as “insidious suburban creep”.

Andrew Kibble at It's a Bloke Thing 2022 at Wellcamp Airport, Friday, September 9, 2022. Picture: Kevin Farmer

More than a dozen submissions have been lodged opposing local developer Andrew Kibble’s planned housing estate on 12ha of land across two parcels off Rifle Range Rd in Mount Lofty.

The sites sit next to where a controversial development by Defence Housing Australia was rejected years ago.

Mr Kibble’s impact-assessable proposal, which was lodged with Toowoomba Regional Council in August, would turn the parcels - zoned as rural residential and low-density residential - into 50 lots ranging from about 1000sq m to 1.2ha.

“The density is distributed more evenly across the site, resulting in a site-responsive design outcome,” Property Projects Australia said in its planning report.

The parcels contain core koala habitat, with the development to remove about 250 trees, including 73 “non-juvenile koala habitat” trees inside the core area.

An ecological assessment by Range Environmental Consultants, commissioned by the developer, found “limited evidence” of koalas in the area and noted the extensive coverage of lantana across the sites.

Mr Kibble’s company, CPLK Property, plans to clear the lantana, replant 300 koala habitat trees and place covenants on the larger lots to protect nearly 2ha.

Three roads would be created to service traffic, including a main connector between Rifle Range Rd and Mackenzie St, along with two smaller streets.

A planned pedestrian link to Windemere Tce on the southern side was upgraded to a full vehicle connection following a request from council planning staff.

However, council principal planner Matthew Coleman raised concerns regarding stormwater run-off into the neighbouring Jubilee Park.

Mr Coleman suggested a bioretention basin at an existing dam site, but the developer preferred a grassed swale drain.

Residents expressed vehement opposition to the subdivision through written submissions, taking serious issue with the connection to Windemere Tce, the clearing of mature trees for koalas and the loss of amenity.

“This is classic insidious suburban creep with the biggest loser being the environmental assets,” local resident Geoff Cornwell wrote.

Dr Ahmed Kassab wrote: “Mount Lofty is known as a quiet and peaceful area that is valued by families and long-term residents and this development risks turning it into a location associated with busy and dangerous roads that would threaten the safety and lifestyle of local families.”

The public notification period ends in January, with a decision due later in 2026.

What do you think about development on the escarpment? Let us know by writing a letter to the editor at [e-mail].