Wagners attacks council over infrastructure charges

ONE of region’s most powerful developers has issued a warning to the Toowoomba Regional Council: lower your charges or we’ll take our business elsewhere.

Wagners chairman Denis Wagner. Picture: Nev Madsen

ONE of the region's most powerful developers has issued a warning to the Toowoomba Regional Council: lower your charges or we'll take our business elsewhere.

Wagners has moved part of its Earth Friendly Concrete operation from Wellcamp to Wacol, blaming the council's "excessive charges".

Chairman Denis Wagner said the move, which will take jobs away from the Darling Downs, was the best financial outcome for the company.

"We will develop the Earth Friendly Concrete technology at Wacol and our concrete technology centre will now be based on our site at Pinkenba in Brisbane," he said.

"We are finding it very difficult to justify doing development in Toowoomba that will create local jobs, mainly because of the excessive charges from the Toowoomba Regional Council.

"The charges that are currently being levied are not fair and are not equitable... Charges should be reflective and relevant to the infrastructure that is provided and not some figure that is plucked from the air."

Mr Wagner said the company was billed $168,000 by TRC to develop its Composite Fibre Technology factory at Wellcamp. The factory could employ up to 100 people.

"As a comparison, the Data Centre in Witmack Industrial Park, which will cater for 10,000 employees, was levied $100,000 in charges for all infrastructure the council provides, which covers roads, water, sewer and stormwater," he said, referring to a project by FKG Group.

The company was considering moving the factory to Wacol as it looks to expand.

"We estimate an additional 20,000sq m of factory floor space will be needed and up to 400 extra jobs will be created," Mr Wagner said.

"Our costs associated in establishing a production facility at Wacol make it the best commercial outcome, unfortunately this means opportunity and jobs lost to this area."

Wagners is currently locked in at least nine legal disputes with the council in the Planning and Environment Court. In total, the council has been a respondent in 19 cases with developers this year.

Mayor Paul Antonio. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mayor Paul Antonio said he was "sad to hear" of the Wagners' decision to relocate, but added the council had a responsibility to balance development against the cost of supplying infrastructure.

"In terms of fees and charges, decisions are made in line with state government planning legislation and our own planning scheme," he said.

"Council has a responsibility to deal with developers in a consistent and equitable manner.

"We have to take into account council's financial sustainability (but) we have to into account the developer's capacity to pay for fees and charges."

Cr Antonio said he supported development in the Toowoomba region.

"I think in fairness, I have been sympathetic for encouraging development in this region," he said.

He referred to his maiden speech as mayor in which he declared Toowoomba was "open for business".

Originally published as Wagners attacks council over infrastructure charges