THE council has refused to allow a pet crematorium at a home-based veterinary clinic on Redland Bay Road at Alexandra Hills.
Councillors decided the crematorium, an industrial-based activity, should not be allowed in an environmental zone on the fringe of the Kinross Road structure plan area.
A total of 124 public submissions were made about the application with residents and owners of a neighbouring garden centre concerned about odour and noise.
The crematorium building proposed was about 3.2 metres with a flue about three metres above roof level.
It would have been the first pet crematorium in the Redlands.
The application said deceased pets would be collected from veterinary clinics or owners, or brought to the site.
Hoya Garden Nursery owners Andrew Fisher and Stacey Hsieh said a crematorium next door to their garden centre and cafe would be detrimental to the business.
"We did a survey with our customers and 86 per cent said they didn't want to eat next door to a chimney stack," Mr Fisher said.
"We expect that we would lose business because of customer perception of eating and shopping next door to a crematorium will be severely impacted.
"We don't think it's the best location, even if there's public demand for the service."
Sheldon College principal Lyn Bishop said that 1500 students and hundreds of staff could be affected if chemical residue, smoke and unpleasant odours spread to the school.
Dr Bishop was concerned the development was not suitable within the existing zoning and there could be environmental and health risks over time from toxic pollutants.
She called on the council to reject the application and help the applicant find a more suitable location.
"Of particular note is the logical argument that if in other jurisdictions such facilities are usually sited within industrial zones, why would an environmentally conscious council such as that in the Redlands, approve such a facility in a non-industrial location?" Dr Bishop said.
Planner Carolyn Mellish said, on behalf of developer Harridan, that the proposed use was not low intensity, nor compatible with the environmental values or intent of the land.
"The proposal does not adequately consider the amenity of surrounding properties and future development and does not present as a low impact, small scale activity consistent with the intent for the zone," Ms Mellish said.
She said a crematorium would impact planned residential development nearby.
The crematorium applicant Angela Brinkworth said she did not want to comment on the refusal as yet.
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