Toowoomba housing estate by developer Rob Weymouth at Middle Ridge starts work

With pressure growing on Toowoomba’s housing estate, a major city developer has started work on a new $16.5m project within a leafy suburb. And he’s nearly sold all the lots.

Land developer Rob Weymouth will plant over sixty trees in the Dallang Road subdivision to complement the adjacent Menzies Street park. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Looking over one of the last significant parcels of land left in eastern Toowoomba, developers Rob and Cathy Weymouth believe they have something special on their hands.

“Apart from a couple of parcels, there are no big chunks left,” Mr Weymouth said.

“You can see how decent-sized it is — we’ve got good flat land, it’s red soil with good conditions.”

Work has started on the couple’s new 41-lot subdivision over 5300 sqm at Dallang Street in Middle Ridge, with machines currently clearing the land of trees to make way for a $16.5m project.

The housing estate is the largest of its kind on the landlocked eastern side of Ruthven Street since the 120-lot Leas Project in Middle Ridge several years ago and comes as demand for new housing in Toowoomba remains strong.

Mr Weymouth said along with lot sizes of between 600 and 1200 sqm, the couple planned to invest nearly $200,000 in extra improvements that were not required, including moving the powerlines underground and creating extensive embellishments to the neighbouring Menzies Street Park.

Land developer Rob Weymouth will plant over sixty trees in the Dallang Road subdivision to complement the adjacent Menzies Street park. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The final development will create more than 60 new trees.

“We’ve discussed with council about if we could do some works in the park and they agreed to that — there are an extra 21 decent sized trees we’re putting in,” Mr Weymouth said.

“When you live here in one of my blocks, you can see the park and it becomes part of our development.

“We’ve also been allowed to build a whole lot of gardens — we’ve done an extra $50,000 in landscaping, we didn’t have to do it.”

An approved subdivision on Dallang Street in Middle Ridge by developer Rob Weymouth.

Mr Weymouth said three quarters of the estate was already effectively sold at an average price of $350,000, with the project attracting more than 80 inquiries from existing homeowners.

“I‘ve got people who have already put their names down and details but haven’t signed the contract, so over the next three to four weeks, there will be zero left,” he said.

“Most of them are locals, I haven’t even advertised anything, they’re nearly all existing landholders.

“A lot of them have got other properties and they’re upgrading to something bigger.”

Mr Weymouth said he had hoped to have the infrastructure built and lots sealed with the Toowoomba Regional council by October.