WALKER Corp says concerns raised by the federal environment department over its proposed redevelopment of Toondah Harbour are no more than would be expected.
Walker property development director Peter Saba said concerns in a departmental briefing were the type of issues expected to be examined in a controlled action under the EPBC Act.
The briefing noted the development was likely to have a significant impact on the Moreton Bay Ramsar site and on threatened species like turtles, dugong and the critically endangered eastern curlew.
Mr Saba said it had not changed Walker’s position on the $1.3 billion harbour rebuild and residential development.
He was confident the company could meet concerns regarding loss of habitat although the environmental impact assessment process had to be undertaken to confirm this.
“A variety of offset strategies can be put in place to mitigate and offset any loss of resources for migratory shorebirds,” Mr Saba said.
“A suite of strategies, both in-situ and ex-situ, will be proposed and analysed as part of the EIS process for the federal government’s consideration.”
Redlands2030 spokesman Chris Walker said the proposal to dredge and clear more than 32 hectares of wetlands was incompatible with Australia’s obligations to protect the area.
Loss of wetlands would deprive critically endangered migratory shorebirds of important feeding grounds and impact adversely on other vulnerable species.
“Any suggestions that these destructive impacts can be offset are not credible,” he said. “The state government should rule out dredging and destruction of Ramsar protected wetlands at Toondah.”
Redland City Council deputy mayor Lance Hewlett said he too shared community concerns about environmental impacts, including marine life and koalas that crossed the site.
“I also share the concerns of others in the Redlands community about a seemingly oversupply of units in the broader south-east Queensland area and whether there will ultimately be a buoyant market to take up the offering, if it is ultimately approved by the federal government,” Cr Hewlett said.
Mr Saba, asked if there was any prospect of the project being reduced in size, said the project footprint had already been reduced to address concerns.
“Any further decisions will be made based on the rigorous environment assessment process,” he said.
Asked at what point the project might become uneconomic if it had to be further reduced in size, Mr Saba said the question was premature as the EIS process had not started.
As a public private partnership proposal, Walker Corp will upgrade the harbour at its own cost and in return try to make a profit primarily through the sale of apartments.
If it cannot build enough apartments to turn a profit, it may walk away from the venture as it did with the Weinam Creek ferry rebuild which required the building of a substantial number of public car parks.
Walker unveiled an updated plan in June which decreased the development size by 30 per cent but still included 3600 units.
