Bundaberg residents lodge court appeal against George St development
Bundaberg residents are taking the council and international developers to court in a final bid to save a more than century-old Queenslander.
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A band of Bundaberg residents has enlisted the help of a Brisbane legal firm to lodge an appeal against an approved development at the site of a more than 100-year-old home.
It is the latest development in an ongoing saga surrounding the bid for a childcare centre first made last year.
In November 2022, Uniland Investments proposed to demolish Consuelo, a 110-year-old Queenslander at 210 George St, to make way for a modern, 90-place childcare centre.
The development stirred the emotions of the Bundaberg community, including its former owners Pauline and Michael Tanner, who said they never realised the well-maintained home would be under threat.
However, before a decision was reached on the development by Bundaberg Regional Council, Uniland Investments offered to instead contract the house for removal, despite being under no obligation to do so.
In February, all councillors bar Greg Barnes, May Mitchell and John Learmonth voted to allow the development.
On Wednesday, March 29, a group of Bundaberg residents lodged an appeal in the Planning and Environment Court of Brisbane against Bundaberg Regional Council and Uniland Investments.
Nathan and Cathy Vecchio, Van Sien Nguyen and Thao Phuong Thi Pham, Khanh Vu, Tammy Nguyen, Angelica Ballas and Frances Grassick are listed as appellants.
The appeal document argues numerous points against the development, including a lack of need for a childcare centre, the threat to surrounding childcare businesses, noise and amenity as well as technicalities around the application process itself.
“The decision reveals the development application was lodged by the co-respondent, who is not the registered owner of the land, the registered owner of the land is Uniland Investments... as trustee for an unspecified trust, and it is uncertain whether the owner’s written consent was obtained and filed with the respondent,” it reads.
The document alleges the developer and council failed in properly regarding the laws and policies relevant to the development.
The appeal is currently before the Planning and Environment Court.
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