Work starts on Toowoomba units despite opposition

Construction begins next week on a $100-million south East Queensland affordable housing project, despite opposition from locals and claims the ministerial approval was rushed through.

Toowoomba resident and Success Realty owner Dave Harms is a vocal opponent of the development and says more than 1700 residents signed a petition. Picture: Contributed

Construction is set to begin next week on a multistorey affordable housing development in Newtown, Toowoomba, despite opposition from some local residents and community groups who claim it was rushed through approval without due process.

The $100-million Princess St development will span four towers, each five to six storeys high, and deliver 185 units of social and affordable housing and 132 car spaces.

McNab Developments on behalf of Mission Australia Housing and Newtown QLD Pty Ltd will start ground works on Monday with the project slated for completion in May 2027.

An aerial view of the site with an inset of an artist impression of the towers in Princess St, Toowoomba.

The Housing Department confirmed the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation for the site was approved by former Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon on September 30, 2024, just a day before the state government entered caretaker mode.

Local residents and critics have questioned the timing, claiming the large project was “rushed through at the 11th hour”.

Generally, the State Development Department assesses and considers Ministerial Infrastructure designation applications within three months and in this case, the department took extra time to consider all public submissions.

Former Housing Minister Scanlon said the project’s approval time frame was not unusual and came after months of investigations, recommendations from department officers and after consideration of all public submissions.

Ms Scanlon said Queenslanders needed affordable housing with 3129 people on the social housing register waiting list in Toowoomba.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Jarrod Bleijie and the former Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon.

“If (new State Development Minister) Jarrod Bleijie wants to cancel more affordable homes in the middle of a housing crisis, then he can explain that to the families and frontline workers sleeping on the streets in Toowoomba,” Ms Scanlon said.

But Deputy Premier and State Development Minister Jarrod Bleijie said the former government steamrolled communities and councils to catch up for a decade of poor planning that created a housing crisis.

“Steven Miles and Meaghan Scanlon continually put political self-interest over planning for growth in communities across the state,” Mr Bleijie said.

“We have reset the planning partnership to ensure new housing opportunities are locally informed, with genuine consultation empowering the decision-making process to deliver a place to call home for more Queenslanders.”

A screenshot of the Mission Australia housing blocks. Picture: Mission Australia

Mission Australia Housing executive Chris Bratchford said there had been a number of rounds of community consultation and also letterbox drops, public sessions, school engagement, and meetings with Toowoomba Regional Council and local MPs Trevor Watts and David Janetski.

“We’ve made significant changes to the design, including reducing building heights in response to feedback,” he said. “The 132 car spaces align with ABS data on car ownership for this demographic.”

Success Realty owner Dave Harms, a vocal opponent of the development, said more than 1700 residents had signed a petition against the project and 122 formal submissions were lodged during the MID public consultation period.

He said the nearby Anglican girls’ school The Glennie School had concerns about the scale of the project but did not oppose social housing.

“Meaghan Scanlon’s approval of this project right before caretaker mode warrants investigation,” Mr Harms said.

“We’re calling for the approval to be annulled and reviewed under Section 40 of the Planning Act 2016.”

He argued objections from council and private schools were not meaningfully addressed and questioned the speed of the approval, which came just 10 business days after public submissions closed.

“We, a group of locals, are calling for the approval to be annulled and reviewed under Section 40 of the Planning Act 2016, which ensures there is a clear and timely procedure for reconsidering land designations within 40 business days,” Mr Harms said.

“Other similar projects have taken more than a month to process and no conditions or amendments were imposed following all the submissions and concerns even from the council.”

The nearby Clifford Gardens shopping Centre. Picture: Contributed

Staff at Clifford Gardens Shopping Centre, adjacent to the site, were recently informed their parking would be permanently removed due to the development, though alternate spaces have been provided.

Nearby residents and business owners have also raised concerns about construction noise, dust, and traffic during the two-year build with claims there was insufficient parking for an estimated 500 unit residents.

Construction firm McNab issued a notice this week outlining the construction schedule and committed to minimising disruptions in line with control measures.

Toowoomba Regional Council declined to comment, saying the matter fell under state government jurisdiction.

The Glennie School said in a statement that it agreed with the need for affordable and social housing in Toowoomba but had concerns that some of the units in the towers could overlook the school grounds.

“As part of the ongoing development at Glennie, enhanced measures including fencing, security upgrades, and a review of access points, are being planned and will be incorporated into the School’s Master Plan,” the school statement said.

“The School will work collaboratively with key stakeholders throughout the construction period to minimise disruptions to daily school-life.”

Originally published as Work starts on Toowoomba units despite opposition