High-flyer neighbours take bid to block development to court

A group of high-profile residents, including an ex-political staffer and his ex-judge wife, have taken their fight against a proposed apartment development in an upmarket Brisbane suburb to court.

An artist’s impression of the unit project.

A group of high-profile residents, including an ex-political staffer and his ex-judge wife, have taken their fight against a proposed apartment development in an upmarket Brisbane suburb to court, arguing it’s not needed by the community or economy.

Fifteen neighbours who live near the council-approved 46-apartment Westbourne Residences in inner-city Highgate Hill, filed an appeal in the Planning and Environment Court on July 10, in a bid to block the development which would swing the wrecking ball on an 1870s landmark home.

The residents fighting the case include Queensland Law Reform Commission chair Fleur Kingham and husband David Barbagallo, who at one time served as former Labor premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s chief of staff.

Fleur Kingham and David Barbagallo, of Highgate Hill.

Others fighting the case include Rocking Horse Records owner Warwick Vere, who has owned the adjacent heritage-listed 1882 homestead Lanark for 45 years,

The development is backed by Sarina Russo jobs agency Chief Operating Officer Mark Berlese and sits in an inner-city area filled with historic homes.

In their appeal, the group argue the four-storey apartment block is too big and takes up too much of the 2395 sqm site.

Brisbane City Council gave the green light to the development application on June 6, with strict conditions.

The residents group argue that when the case was before council, 51 people formally objected to it.

The development, at 13-19 Westbourne St, Highgate Hill, was approved by Brisbane City Council in June.

“There is neither a community need nor an economic need for the built form elements of the proposed development which exceeds the height, scale and bulk of development anticipated to occur on the land,” the appeal states.

“The approved development exceeds all reasonable community expectations about what could be developed on the land and that is not justified by the street or local context,” the appeal states.

Warwick Vere and neighbour Ben Hockley outside the once heritage-listed house Trevenen, Highgate Hill. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Brisbane City Council has previously stated that the city will need around 210,800 new homes by 2046.

The appeal submits that the development will harm the heritage values of the neighbouring Lanark and nearby heritage home Rochemount.

The other appellants include Jie Lu, Susan McComber, Derek McComber, Lisa Kondos, Christos Kondos, Madeleine Radke, Gail Bogiatzis, Ben Hockley, Linus Chang, Ben Wilson, T’Keya Chambers and Bethany Killen.

No defence has been filed and no date has been set for hearing.

Originally published as High-flyer neighbours take bid to block development to court