Forest Lake Active Group (FLAG) is determined to fight off development applications that don’t meet community standards. The current development application for the retirement facility, 5 The Esplanade, is in hot water as locals joined forces and gathered support to put a stop to it.
The development proposal was submitted in April to the Brisbane City Council. Upon learning about the application and the negative implications to the community standards, FLAG immediately planned their course of action.
An e-petition was launched protesting the eight-storey facility. So far, it has garnered over 500 signatures and it will be closing on the 10th of July. The petition is supported by Federal Labor MP for Oxley Milton Dick and Councillor Charles Strunk.
MP Milton Dick spoke in parliament on behalf of local Forest Lake residents against the planned high rise development by the lake.
Issues Raised
The residents’ concerns include the project not meeting the zoning requirements, the style, visual design, and the bulk of the building is non-compliant to the suburb’s landscape and architecture, obstruction of lake view for residents on the south, traffic congestion, and an increased on-street parking.
What angered the residents more is that they feel they got blindsided by JRD Number 2, based on the community meeting held in February in which the developer said that their plan is only a six-storey building, only for it to change upon the submission of the DA to the council.
With the e-petition ongoing, residents are determined to battle for this development not to proceed. FLAG continues to gather support and funds for a protest against this specific development. The group consists of real estate agents, solicitors, and residents who are determined to preserve the beauty of the suburb.
See details of the Development Application (A004909754).