REDLAND City Council has backflipped on a decision to turn management of a Victoria Point conservation reserve over to the state government.
The government-owned Teak Lane Reserve had been vested to the public as a park in 2002 but trusteeship had remained with the council.
However, the council’s proposal to hand over the trusteeship in 2014 led to the Newman government proposing to sell the land to Victoria Point Shopping Centre owner and developer, Ian Lancini of Lanrex.
At the new council’s first general meeting this week, Cr Lance Hewlett proposed that the council write to the state government, saying it had changed its view.
This followed a campaign by residents.
Resident Maria Sealy told the council meeting that no householders had been consulted about changes to the status of the reserve which acted as a buffer between their homes and the shopping centre.
Under the state proposal, it was to become a car park and retail area and this would impact severely on the value of adjacent homes, not to mention the loss of almost 5000 sq m of bushland.
“If we had known (what was coming) we would have done everything to stop it,’’ Ms Sealy told the council.
Cr Murray Elliott warned councillors that the local authority would look foolish if it changed its mind on such issues.
Mr Lancini was overseas and unable to comment on the decision.
In 2002 the council had directed the shopping centre owner to give the land to the government as a condition of a development application for the Town Centre shopping complex.
The land was gazetted as public open space in 2006.
In 2014 when the council resolved to surrender its trusteeship a report to council said the land was obtained through the development process that approved construction of the shopping centre.
The reserve was created for environmental and community recreation purposes and to provide a buffer zone to the shopping centre’s activities.
But public safety and anti-social issues in the nature belt have been of concern, with the reserve no longer effective from a community or environmental perspective.
“It is proving difficult to manage and maintain in its current layout. A long-term solution
needs to be found so that nearby residents can have peace of mind again. Handing
the area back to the State will enable other solutions to be explored,’’ the report said.
Mrs Sealy said the community had asked for security cameras to be set up in the reserve to tackle unsocial behaviour.
She and her husband were prepared to foot the bill given no support had been forthcoming from the council or government.
