Residents say development at Highfields ‘sardine-like’

A PROPOSAL for a retirement village with lots described as “sardines in a tin” is causing angst in Highfields.

A PROPOSAL for a retirement village with lots described as "sardines in a tin" is causing angst in Highfields.

Town planning group Ruby Developments has submitted plans for a 223-home, over-50s resort at 30 Kratzke Rd.

The retirement village will replace the southern section of a planned 318 lot housing development which has already been given approval for the site.

But numerous residents in the neighbourhood are opposed to the plans.

A letter is circulating calling on residents to protect their lifestyle.

It states the development will devalue houses, increase residential density, reduce privacy and cause undue noise.

Fears of increased traffic volume and a loss of wildlife habitat have also been raised.

Lisa Purves lives on Wiggan Ave which is directly behind the development.

She said residents were concerned it would completely change the existing suburb and devalue properties.

"People come to Highfields to buy a house because they're looking for that bigger block of land.

"It's mainly families in our street, that's why we bought here."

She said she was living in her dream house but wanted to live in an area where people mostly owned their own homes.

"That's why we choose to live out of town and drive to Toowoomba, for the lifestyle."

Ms Purves said she was concerned about what she said was a lack of proposed parks in the development.

She likened the lots to packing people into sardine tins.

Council has asked for more information on a number of aspects of the proposal including an amended site plan which shows the proposed development stages and the anticipated timing for each stage.

Council gave approval for CCL Development Pty Ltd to build a housing development at 30 Kratzke Rd called Highfields Kilalah Residential Development on October 20 last year.

That approval's status is listed as "suspended appeal period".

Ruby Developments was contacted for comment.

Originally published as Residents say development at Highfields ‘sardine-like’