Walter Taylor South Action Group Inc. Protecting the Streetscapes

For those of us who are savvy, we know that controversial Development Applications for our area are always submitted during the holiday period to minimise objections.
 
We continue to scan for developments, but we want to make you aware of the following.  Please continue to scan our website regularly, or check for email updates as the opportunity to comment on these issues will pass easily during the holiday period:

1. Historic Graceville Shop Development
2. Request for new units to exceed Height/Density limit in Sherwood
3. Character house partial demolition, exceed height limit
4. Proposed Metal (Car) Scrap Yard opposite Oxley Creek Common
5. Proposed Redevelopment of Montrose Access, Corinda (to be sold off)
6. Proposed Redevelopment of HopeToun, Corinda
7. Proposed changes at Archerfield Airport

• Unsuitability for cyclists:  The bikeway is not a direct route for commuters, and there is poor visibility near the Bowls Club. The incline up from the creek is too steep. Having cyclists share a bikeway with elderly pedestrians, dog-walkers, bird-watchers, and tricyclists goes against current bicycle-user research.
• Waste of taxpayers' money:  The cost of the project is $4 million - and yet the ultimate goal is the larger project of upgrading Sherwood Road. The money would be more appropriately saved for that upgrade, especially since cyclists do not favour the bikeway.
• Inappropriateness for the disabled and the elderly:  The incline will make the bikeway inaccessible to wheelchair users and fails to meet the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act. Many elderly pedestrians will be unable to cross the bridge.
• Damage to the environment: The bikeway will destroy much of the creek bank area. The Oxley Creek Common is home to over 190 bird species and attracts not only local but also international bird-watchers. These bird species and other wildlife depend on the undisturbed habitat of the creek area. The rehabilitation of the area along the creek on both Oxley Common and at Nosworthy Park (hundreds of hours of work by volunteers) will be undone.
• Disruption of recreational use of parkland: The bikeway will cover the surface of Nosworthy Park (already a small park) with 3 metres of concrete and up to 2 metres of landscaped border. To comply with cycle safety provisions, a second path through the park will be required to allow exit onto Hall Avenue. There will be little space (and less safety) for children to play and community groups to gather.

The Walter Taylor South Action Group is appalled at the outcome of the Sherwood-Graceville Neighbouhood Plan following extensive community consultation over the last 3 years which clearly rejected the concept of 5 storey development in Corinda and Graceville in favour of existing 3 storey rules.
 
The Walter Taylor South Action Group calls on our local state members Julie Attwood MP and Scott Emerson MP to utilise the State Governments powers to call in all community submissions collected by Council to examine how the intention of State Government planning laws have not achieving the required community consultation outcomes.
 
The Walter Taylor South Action Group asks residents to make contact with their local state members asking them to investigate their concerns. Contact details for your state members are Scott Emerson (indooroopilly@parliament.qld.gov.au) or phone 3878 1928 and Julie Attwood (Mount.Ommaney@parliament.qld.gov.au) or phone 3279 5137
You may wish to also copy in your local councillors Nicole Johnston (tennyson.ward@ecn.net.au) or phone 3403 8605 and Matthew Bourke (jamboree.ward@ecn.net.au) or phone 3407 7000

A cluster of red balloons hung twenty metres above Sherwood last week. A group of residents was demonstrating just how high proposed five storey developments around Sherwood and Corinda would be. "I didn't realise just what an impact buildings of this height would make. They would block light, breezes and views and would dominate the suburban landscape", said Nancy Williams.

Photo available from : http://wtsag.org.au/sites/default/files/IMGP1888.JPG

Residents of Corinda, Sherwood, Graceville, Chelmer and parts of Tennyson are being asked to put their concerns in writing after the Brisbane City Council released proposed plans to dramatically increase development in the area.
 
Walter Taylor South Action Group Inc, (WTSAG) says residents have until 2 July, 2010 to make comments via a written response to Council on the draft Sherwood/Graceville District Neighbourhood Plan.
 
The action group will be holding two workshops to assist residents in making a written response to the statutory plan, which will determine what the suburbs of Corinda, Sherwood, Graceville, Chelmer and parts of Tennyson will look like over the next ten to twenty years. The plans details:
- Preservation of character areas
- Quality of life in the suburbs
- Changes to zonings, including more townhouses, units and apartments up to 5 storeys
- Urban villages up to 5 storeys in Corinda and Sherwood
- Creation of a community hub in Sherwood
- Designated industrial areas
- Retention of existing sport and recreational land
 
Brisbane City Council held a workshop for residents last week to talk to a planner. WTSAG will hold follow up workshops. Residents can drop in to the WTSAG workshops and discuss any issues of concern in the plan, as well as seek advice on preparing a response to the plan to send to Council. Only written responses and comments will be accepted by Council. There will be template letters (proformas) to assist residents as well.
 
This is the last opportunity residents have to provide feedback to Council, as once these plans are adopted, then there is no avenue for protesting against any development which complies with the new plan.
 
Residents are encouraged to attend the WTSAG workshops on:
Tuesday 8 June from 6pm to 8pm OR Sunday 20 June 1pm to 3pm.
 
Both workshops will be held at St Matthews Uniting Church hall on the corner of Oxley Rd and Sherwood Rd, Sherwood.
 

Walter Taylor South Action Group Inc, (WTSAG) will be holding two workshops to assist residents in making a written response to the draft Sherwood/Graceville District Neighbourhood Plan.
 
Residents of Corinda, Sherwood, Graceville, Chelmer and parts of Tennyson have a final opportunity to tell Brisbane City Council what they like and do not like about the draft Sherwood/Graceville District Neighbourhood Plan. Council specifically would like residents to express their views on the proposal to introduce 5 storey areas for Sherwood and Corinda.  This is a significant change for the area.
 
A summary of the draft plan was delivered to every letterbox in the area. The plan will determine what the suburbs of Corinda, Sherwood, Graceville, Chelmer and parts of Tennyson will look like over the next ten to twenty years.
 
Residents have until 2 July, 2010 to make comments via a written response to Council.
 
It is very important to submit a response, as Council says it will assume that residents support all the proposals outlined in the draft, if a response is not received.
 
The WTSAG workshops will follow a public workshop being held by Brisbane City Council. The Council workshop is on Thursday 3 June, at the Western Districts Community and Sporting Club, Chelmer, from 2-4.30pm and 6-8pm. This is residents' chance to drop in and talk to a planner and ask questions about the plan.
 
Residents can drop in to the WTSAG workshops and discuss any issues of concern in the plan, as well as seek advice on preparing a response to the plan to send to Council. Only written responses and comments will be accepted by Council. There will be template letters (proformas) to assist residents as well.
 
This is the last opportunity residents have to provide feedback to Council, because once these plans are adopted, there are few avenues for protesting against any development which complies with the new plan.
 
Residents are encouraged to attend the WTSAG workshops on:
Tuesday 8 June from 6pm to 8pm OR Sunday 20 June 1pm to 3pm
 
Both workshops will be held at St Matthews Uniting Church hall on the corner of Oxley Rd and Sherwood Rd, Sherwood.
 

Brisbane City Council (BCC) has recently submitted an updated Sherwood/Graceville Neighbourhood Plan to the Queensland State Government for approval.  WTSAG acknowledges that Council has listened to residents and changes have been made to preserve the character area in Corinda between Oxley Road and Clara Street.  However five storey development is still proposed in Corinda between Oxley Road and the railway line to the West, as far south as Lynne Grove Avenue. An area for 5 storey development around St. Aidans is still proposed.  
 
In addition, the new plan has greatly increased the proposed 5 storey area in Sherwood stretching from Sherwood Road, to the north, past Quarry Road to the south, west of Oxley Road to the Railway Line and east to Jerrold Street.  An extract of BCC's map of the new 5 storey areas can be seen on the WTSAG website http://wtsag.org.au/content/sherwood-graceville-neighbourhood-plan-updat...
 
This updated plan with the additional proposed 5 storey areas does not address all the resident concerns from last August's meeting, especially with regard to additional infrastructure required to support this density. At the meeting between residents and BCC in August 2009 over 500 residents attended and council planners noted:
 "There is significant community concern associated with the proposal of up to five storey development around the Corinda and Sherwood Centres.  This concern is associated with increased traffic, parking issues, noise impacts, loss of character and perceived social consequences.  Most attendees felt that growth could not be accommodated without upgrading the existing road and transport infrastructure.  Strong community opinion was expressed that provision and upgrading of infrastructure needs to occur before density is increased."
See http://wtsag.org.au/content/bcc-summary-reports-community-feedback-neigh... for the reported outcomes of the meeting.
 

Local residents and community groups will take to the streets this Saturday (24 October) to call on Lord Mayor Campbell Newman to fulfill his promise to abandon plans for a bus depot in Sherwood.
 
On August 4, the Lord Mayor publicly stated that plans to build a bus depot in the area would be scrapped if residents were opposed to the idea. He said “If however there was, you know, sort of strong reaction against this bus depot, if it was felt to be inappropriate after the full planning process had gone through, then we could certainly use the site for something else.” (BCC Chambers – Ongoing debate on Sherwood Bus depot Aug 18 2009, Question 2)
 
However, in the face of growing and overwhelming opposition against the bus depot, locals have been left wondering why the Lord Mayor hasn’t held true to his promise.
 
To date, over 1200 people have signed a petition against the location of the bus depot. Residents have hung a protest banner on the council sign, adorned their cars with “NO Sherwood Bus Depot” stickers and held multiple protest gatherings on street corners.
 

An alliance of local community groups have been formed to coordinate efforts in stopping the proposed Sherwood Bus Depot from proceeding.