Redland City Council has signed off on a plan that could see chicken farms and a winery on Brisbane's bayside turned into a luxury hotel, industrial park, and neighbourhood centre — but only if the state government agrees to rezone the land.
The council voted six to three on Wednesday to ask the state to include a large chunk of rural land in Mount Cotton in the urban footprint, with the catch that it can't be used for housing.
The plan comes from a group of wealthy local landowners: the Morris family, who own Sirromet Winery; developer and newspaper owner Warren Pryde; and chicken farm operators the Benfer and Elks families. Stephen Williams, who developed West Village in West End, is representing them.
Councillor Rowanne McKenzie pushed the motion, arguing the Redlands needs more industrial land. More than half of Redlanders leave the council area for work every day, she said, and the city's rates are among the highest in Queensland.
"Approximately 90 per cent of council's rate revenue is derived from residential properties, creating a heavy reliance on households to fund core services and infrastructure," McKenzie said.
But the vote was tense. Long-term councillor Wendy Boglary spoke against it, saying little is known publicly about what the landowners actually want to do.
"I have grave concerns about the timing and lack of updated planning evidence to justify this notice of motion," Boglary said. She pointed to Shoreline, a Redland Bay development approved in 2013 without a sewerage plan, as proof that promises can change.
"I have no confidence that this single dot point will hold any weight to prevent change within this Mount Cotton area," she said.
Acting mayor Julie Talty noted during the meeting that the proponents had already been asking the state government to declare the area a Priority Development Area (PDA), which would bypass the council's planning laws. PDAs are a touchy subject in the Redlands — one was imposed in Southern Thornlands, north of Mount Cotton, while two others at Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek have stalled.
Southern Thornlands was originally meant for industrial development but is now mostly small-lot housing. Councillor Lance Hewlett said it would be smart to wait and see how many jobs that area actually generates before approving another big project.
"The state are basically sharks out there at the moment, just looking for land development for houses," he said.
The motion says developers will pay for all infrastructure, including sewerage. Williams said Sirromet's inclusion in the urban footprint would let it build a luxury hotel, which its current zoning doesn't allow.
Sirromet director Nadine Delahunty said the winery is also looking at how "underutilised parts of the estate" could be used "while protecting our much-loved natural environment."
Williams reckons the development could create around 7,000 jobs. "If the area is included within the urban footprint, it would create the planning framework needed for new opportunities and building infrastructure to support development, such as transport and wastewater solutions," he said.
The state government is currently reviewing the South-East Queensland Regional Plan. Submissions close in July, and a draft plan is due by the end of the year. That's when the real fight will happen.