VICTORIA Point residents were given a glimmer of hope their local park would not be bulldozed for a shopping centre car park when they met politicians this week.
Redlands MP Matt McEachan said he would champion the cause of Teak Lane and Sycamore Parade residents vowing to write to State Development minister Anthony Lynham and meet with shopping centre developer Lancini.
He said he would ask Dr Lynham's advice on preventing the sale of the park, a vacant lot of conservation land behind the Victoria Point Town Centre shopping complex.
"This is an opportunity to have a look at the proposed sale of the land to see if it really is in the community's best interest," Mr McEachan said.
"I agree with the residents and believe they have not been listened to in the past and this is not in the best interest of the community.
"I am hoping the minister and his department can find a way to keep the status quo of the park because the next step will be filing a development applicaiton with the council and I don't believe a car park is in line with the intent of the land use."
Redland councillor Lance Hewlett backed Mr McEachan and said he would also write to the state asking for the land to remain in tact.
Redland City Council decided in October 2014 to hand trusteeship of the land back to the state, effectively paving the way for its sale.
Dr Lynham told residents last month the government had already agreed to sell the land to the nearby shopping centre owner Lancini to build a car park.
Residents whose properties back on to the park said they were thankful for the meeting with the politicians but despite the glimmer of hope, remained cautious.
The 4841sq m land was dedicated to Redland ratepayers in 2006 after a 2002 Planning and Environment Court order stipulated it be used for environmental and community recreation purposes and as a buffer zone to the shopping centre.
The court made the land reserve a condition before Lancini could build its Cleveland-Redland Bay shopping complex.
Sycamore Parade resident Maria Sealy said the meeting signalled an "about turn" with tentative support from the Redlands MP.
She said the previous Redlands MP, Peter Dowling, refused to meet residents and had sided with the developer, Lancini.
Redland mayor Karen Williams has also declined to meet residents.
"This precious parcel of land is protected by a court order in 2006," Ms Sealy said.
"In September 2014, our then state member Peter Dowling declined to meet with us, then in October 2014 the council made the decision to relinquish its trusteeship - again without community consultation or public forum because they were keen to fast track this," she said.
"In December 2014, we received our official letters from the Department of Natural Resources to lodge any concerns or objections in relation to Lancini putting in an application to purchase the Conservation land, we went into shock without any warning.
"This parcel of land was a key factor for the Victoria Point Town Centre development to go ahead and was always meant to be the buffer between the residents and the centre."
The car park proposal sparked a wrangle between residents, the state and council in December as the land is protected from development under the conservation zoning.
