Neighbours team up to create rural lifestyle lots

Planners worked hard to balance natural land features and rural-residential living

A subdivision at Parkhurst will provide large rural-style lots with the convenience of being close to town. Picture: Contributed

RURAL life, with all the comforts of town close by.

It's a lifestyle Vicki Heilbronn has enjoyed for roughly 30 years.

But things have changed over the decades and, looking to downsize, Ms Heilbronn took advantage of an opportunity with Rockhampton Regional Council's planning scheme presented the perfect timing.

Under the superseded council planning scheme, Ms Heilbronn could subdivide her property into lots roughly 10ha in size.

It was something she had been considering for some time, but with time running out to apply under the old planning scheme, Ms Heilbronn made the decision to go for it.

The adjoining landowner took the chance to do the same, with the pair working together to share costs for road upgrades and create easy access.

Ms Heilbronn's lot sits in Parkhurst, the area set to be the next growth corridor for the region.

Vicki Heilbronn. Picture: Contributed

The 10ha lots Ms Heilbronnhas planned will offer buyers a rural idyll, with the convenience of the new Parkhurst shopping centre two minutes away.

The plans, approved by council last week, will see three new lots created on her property.

Town planner Brendan Standen, from Reel Planning Pty Ltd, dealt with both applications.

Mr Standen said cooperation between the neighbours was necessay and resulted in a better outcome for both.

He said the pair would share the cost of council required road upgrades, and easy access to Ms Heilbronn's property via Alfred Rd rather than Rockhampton-Yeppoon Rd.

Mr Standen said the application process was complex, due to State Government planning and environmental regulations.

"(These) called for a fine balance to be struck between creating the additional four vacant rural-residential lifestyle lots in Parkhurst, while also conserving existing natural features, including remnant vegetation and watercourses," he said.

"The subdivisions will assist in providing a gradual transition from the land use pattern to the west, which is designated to accommodate future low density residential living, and the land to the east that holds unique scenic and environmental values."

Before the lots can be created, there are still a number of council conditions to work through.

For Ms Heilbronn, the new lot will signal a chance to downsize.

She plans to sell her existing home, sitting on what will be the largest lot of roughly , and move to a home on one of the newly-created lots.

But after the sale of a second block, Ms Heilbronn said she planned to hold on to the other three lots for some time.

"It is a growing area and there's not too many of that size block where you can have that rural lifestyle and also be near town," she said.

Originally published as Neighbours team up to create rural lifestyle lots