A BLOCK of land on Bunker Road, gifted to the council for open space as a koala corridor, has been proposed as a site for townhouses.
The council-owned property at 141 Bunker Road is zoned for Conservation but council is considering rezoning it as low-medium density residential and recreation and open space in the draft City Plan 2015.
In a leaked document to Redland City Bulletin, council identified the land as "surplus" in October 2014 and it has now been identified in the draft Planning Scheme as suitable for townhouse and unit development.
The land, which borders the Eprapah Creek catchment, was dedicated to council in 1996 after the then owners were given permission to subdivide a portion of their rural-zoned farm to create a housing lot for one their children.
The condition of the approval was the remaining land, near the creek, be dedicated to council to preserve the Eprapah Creek catchment and as a koala corridor.
Eprapah Creek Catchment Landcare Association coordinator Lynn Roberts said it would be unacceptable to replace the Conservation area with Low-Medium Density Residential and Recreation and Open Space.
Ms Roberts, who regularly tests the creek's water, said it failed last year's Healthy Waterways survey.
"Eprapah Creek needs more Conservation buffers, not less but adding more development on such a sensitive creek is crazy," she said.
"Low-Medium Density Residential allows the type of development we have along Cleveland-Redland Bay Road at South East Thornlands.
"The South East Queensland Council of Mayors approved the site as a great spot for a carbon sink."
A council spokesman said no decision had been made about the zoning and encouraged residents to voice any concerns on the proposal during consultation for the draft City Plan .
The spokesman said the proposed zone change was in line with the intent of the draft planning scheme to contain urban development within specified areas.
He said the proposed rezoning would also ensure council met its planning obligations imposed by the state to find room for an estimated extra 50,000 people and 26,000 new homes across the Redlands between now and 2041.
"This proposed zoning ensures the environmental values of the Eprapah Creek corridor are protected and public access is maintained," council said.
"If the proposed zone change were to occur, the recreation and open space zoning on the northern part of the lot continues to protect and provide public access to the Eprapah Creek corridor."
Council has not received any inquiries on rezoning the Bunker Road land.
People can make submissions about the City Plan until November 27.
Council staff will be available at Capalaba Library on Friday, October 9, Saturday, ctober 10 from 10am to 4pm.
Macleay Island residents can ask council staff questions about the draft City Plan on Thursday, October 15 from4pm to 7.30pm and on Russell Island on Saturday,. October 17 from 10am to 4pm.
Further sessions will be held at Victoria Point Library on Thursday, October 22 from 3.30pm to 7.30pm and again on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 from 10am to 4pm.
