Council endorses changes to Railway Parklands PDA
THE Toowoomba Regional Council has endorsed changes to planning assessment and carparking rules in its first amendment of a major development precinct in the CBD.
Toowoomba
Don't miss out on the headlines from Toowoomba. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Toowoomba Regional Council has endorsed changes to planning assessment and carparking rules in an amendment of a major development precinct in the CBD.
Councillors voted for the amendment to the Railway Parklands Priority Development Area at the committee meeting yesterday, following consultation with the development industry.
The changes, which have to be adopted at the ordinary meeting next week before being approved by State Economic Development Minister Cameron Dick, reflect issues highlighted by developers.
The Railway Parkland PDA, a 50-hectare section of the CBD bordered by Russell, Mort, Bridge and Neil/Ruthven Sts, was declared by the State Government in 2014.
Senior planner Peter Swan’s report proposed aligning terminology between the scheme and the Economic Development Act, and reducing the level of assessment and over-regulation in certain precincts of the PDA for bars, clubs, small showrooms and theatres, shops and short-term accommodation, where the gross floor increase is less than 25sq m.
However, levels of assessment for “uses not consistent with the intent of particular precincts” would increase, such as for low-impact industries and garden centres.
The amendment would also clarify the amount of carparking a particular development might need to supply.
It comes after a lengthy public notification period, which drew three submissions.
“The submissions received during public notification generally relate to issues such as flooding, the provision and use of open space, the levels of assessment for particular land uses, infrastructure charges and the cycling and pedestrian network,” the report said.
The council acknowledged last year that development interest in the PDA had been slow to start, with developers complaining about the amount of planning legislation required.