THE iconic Botanix structure, which once housed a popular garden and lifestyle centre, will remain the centrepiece of a master plan to develop the nearly nine-hectare site into a new residential neighbourhood of almost 300 homes.
The Wellington Point property was purchased by Redlands Developer Fiteni Homes in 2012, with plans approved by Redland City Council at its July 17 meeting.
Fiteni development manager Vaughn Bowden said the support of Council demonstrated the extent to which the Redlands Coast community and Council had embraced the need for greater housing choice and diversity.
“The community has said we need something different with our housing,” he said.
“We’re very grateful that Council viewed it through that lens and responded to community need.”
After extensive community consultation and multiple public events held onsite, the developer released the master plan which will see the site transformed into a “vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood” featuring a public plaza, cafes, retail, commercial, health and wellness uses along with almost 300 new homes, including a mix of small lot detached homes, terraces and apartments.
“What we’ve heard quite often is a lot of the Redlands community saying they’d love to downsize, if only there was something that met their needs and aspirations,” Mr Bowden said.
“In the same regard, because those people aren’t downsizing, there’s a scarcity of homes.
“Not everybody wants a large home, not everybody can afford a large home, so we need to be able to create housing choice.”
Mr Bowden said that along with housing choice and diversity, retaining the character of the Redlands was key to the master plan.
“The biggest challenge we face as developers is trying to ensure we grab hold of what the best of the city is and has to offer and celebrate that in the new communities and new homes.
“It’s about a balance, because nobody wants to see open spaces get consumed by suburbia.
“We’ve always taken the view that we needed to be really careful to create something that was special, that really reflected the suburb and was a good fit for the neighbourhood.”
The plans were approved in Redland City Council’s July meeting despite a conflict with the city plan, with Council’s assessment stating: “Under City Plan, the site is located within the LDR (low density residential) zone, the purpose of which is to provide for predominately dwelling houses with some dual occupancies.
“The range of uses proposed, being predominantly multiple dwellings and commercial uses, would conflict with the strategic framework of City Plan.
“Whilst conflict with City Plan has been identified … it is concluded that there is a need for additional housing choice and diversity within Redlands Coast and that this need outweighs any conflict identified in City Plan.”
Councillor for Ormiston and Wellington Point Wendy Boglary voted against the development, although she proposed a motion which sought further amendments to address issues including public safety, viability of the koala population in nearby areas, viability of nearby retail businesses, and car parking.
“I was disappointed that the majority of councillors did not support the motion as I presented and spoke to, but instead amended the motion to exclude my request to reduce the retail portion of the eastern section,” Cr Boglary wrote.
“My concern is for the existing local businesses … as the permitted GFA (gross floor area) will make a sizeable ‘new shopping precinct’.
“Having been a past shop owner and seeing the impact on small businesses when out-of-sequence centres are allowed, I could not support the development with this portion of non-residential land use.”
