Bundamba home owners oppose small lot estate on buffer zone

BUNDAMBA residents bordering the massive Citiswich development have opposed plans for a small lot development that was originally planned as a buffer zone.

TAKING A STAND: Gervase Pender and Bernadette and Warren Stone’s homes will be sandwiched between small lot estates under a new proposal. Picture: DAVID NIELSEN

BUNDAMBA residents bordering the massive Citiswich development have opposed plans for a small lot development on land that was originally planned as a buffer zone.

Developers Walker Corporation have lodged plans with council for 140 homes on 10.8ha near Bognuda and Boundary Sts as part of the 335ha business park development.

The proposal includes 117 "courtyard" homes on 300sqm to 450sqm blocks built to the fence line on one side and 22 "traditional" homes on 450sqm blocks and 600sqm corner blocks.

The site was previously a buffer zone between the old 800sqm home sites along Bognuda and Boundary Sts and Australian Hardboards. Under the Citiswich industrial estate master plan the land was to remain a buffer zone between the homes and planned light industry.

Other developers have already built an estate of townhouses off River Rd and Citiswich developed small lot homes on the other side of Bognuda St, leaving established homes either side of Bognuda and Boundary Sts sandwiched between small lot and high density estates.

About 15 of those residents held a meeting this week and intend to oppose the plans.

Bognuda St resident Warren Stone, who has lived in the area for 45 years, said the new estates were ruining the suburb's character.

"The blocks are handkerchiefs with houses on them," he said.

"I don't see how anyone can live on these blocks.

"If you look across to the development over the road, all you see is tiled roofs. You don't see any trees. They are flat out finding a place for a clothes line let alone a tree. Our whole way of life as Australians is under threat.

"This generation of politicians are failing us. They have to find ways to spread the population out to other centres instead of it all being around Brisbane and on these handkerchief size blocks where kids have to play on the streets.

"People drive around and say they are nice looking homes, but there is no yard. We are going to have a generation of children who feel robbed of their childhood."

Mr Stone said the new style of housing was causing social problems in the neighbourhood.

"We hardly heard a police siren on this street, now we hear one every couple of weeks tear down our street and turn into this new estate over the road," he said.

"I don't think people are meant to live in such confined quarters. If you are meant to live like that, then jail is not such a bad thing after all."

Local councillor Bruce Casos said he was opposed to the proposal and wanted a mix of housing including larger blocks.

"I am philosophically opposed to the proliferation of small lot subdivisions," Cr Casos said.

"The majority of the homes are not purchased by first home buyers or older people wanting to downsize. They appear to be purchased by speculators and become predominantly rental dwellings.

"I have concerns about the layout of this development and will be raising those as part of the approval process.

"I would not like to see all of the lots reduced down to only 400sqm. I think there should be a mix of options available for people.

"The residents were under the impression that there would be light industry developed over this area with a suitable buffer between their homes and the industrial development."

Walker Corporation national manager of approvals Sylvia Hrovatin said the development was in line with market expectations and the company had requests for affordable housing and retail amenity to be included in Citiswich.

"The land in question was originally proposed for the purpose of a business and industrial centre that would have included a buffer in order to protect the amenity of nearby residents," she said.

"The rezoning of this land is in keeping with the existing community and will support the growth of Ipswich and demand for affordable housing."

Originally published as Bundamba home owners oppose small lot estate on buffer zone