CAPALABA MP Don Brown has taken on his own government and Redland City Council, launching a petition to save 80 hectares of koala habitat at Birkdale from being cleared for development.
He wants the government to remove the land from its urban footprint designation under the draft South East Queensland Regional Plan.
If successful, it will impact on Redland City Council plans to develop the Commonwealth land on Old Cleveland Road which is a mix of heavily timbered, regrowth and cleared land.
Mr Brown called on Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to save the bushland, saying its inclusion in the urban footprint put the area under threat of being developed by council.
“The Birkdale bushland is some of the last remaining bushland in the north of Redland City and part of a key ecological corridor that should be protected for future generations,” he said.
He also wants Ms Trad to take steps to ensure the land cannot be developed by council through other means.
“As part of the community consultation process I and many others have objected to the bushland’s inclusion in the urban footprint,” Mr Brown said. “The Deputy Premier is currently considering this matter and to demonstrate our community’s strong support for this land to be protected, I’ve launched a petition.
“I urge anyone who believes this bushland should be protected from development to go to SaveBirkdaleBushland.com to sign the petition” Mr Brown said.
A council spokesperson said council was negotiating with the federal government to buy the land whose cleared sections could be developed. The site would provide significant employment opportunities through community uses such as education.
“Council does not want to see this land become a housing development so we want to try and avoid it going to open market where there is a risk of it being bought by a developer,” she said. “...In the context of the city, this is a strategic site.”
Council was determining the most appropriate use while protecting its significant environmental values.
Asked if Mr Brown’s move would stymie plans for the site, the spokesperson said council wanted to buy the land whether or not it was in the urban footprint.
Mr Brown said the land was included in the footprint after lobbying by council and if it was placed outside the fooprint, it limited the possibility of development. He started the petition after submissions had closed to give residents another opportunity to have their say.