A PLANNING application submitted to the state government shows that Redland Investment Corporation wants to change part of the Weinam Creek PDA to make space for terrace houses.
Russell Island Development Association president Ian Olsson labelled the plans predatory behaviour, saying the space was needed for parking.
A report prepared for council-owned subsidiary Redland Investment Corporation proposes turning two large lots into 19 to make space for homes at Meissner Street.
The terrace buildings would be two storeys.
Mr Olsson said the plans were at odds with the council development scheme published in 2014, which stated that provisions would be made for parking along Meissner Street.
"They have every right to build houses, but we see there is a problem here because it shuts down the capacity for future populations of islanders to use the PDA for parking," he said.
"They have to provide parking for future island growth unless there are other things like bridges, shorter ferries or subsidies ... "
Mr Olsson has launched a petition calling on changes to legislation that would allow the public to appeal decisions on developments in PDAs.
"I see it (the plan for houses) as a betrayal of trust," he said. "There needs to be some monitoring of this predatory behaviour.
"I can understand that council is trying to get money through its investment corporation but at the same time it hasn't thought about islanders in any way."
Cr Mark Edwards said he was in favour of the housing proposal, which was to be determined by the state government, as long as council's vision for parking was delivered.
"I have always understood that market forces would determine different changes as we go along, but the basic concept is that we will end up with a space that caters for parking needs ...," he said.
"I like diversity in housing. It doesn't mean we only have one type of residence or demographic in an area."
A Redland Investment Corporation spokeswoman said Economic Development Queensland would decide whether public notification was needed.
"This application is all about providing homes for local families and delivering the infrastructure and jobs they need," she said.
"...The new terrace homes will also help fund some great new infrastructure for the area including new footpaths and 21,000 square metres of new parks."
Macleay Island resident Lindsay Hackett said islanders agitating against the Weinam Creek plan were in the minority.
"Some Russell islanders have pushed for a bridge since the mid-1980s, in Joh Bjelke-Petersen's time," he said. " ... Such a bridge would impact negatively on all other islands.
"About 40 per cent of passengers on the ferry and barge services would be removed, because that is the proportion of Russell Islanders on these services.
"The consequences would be a reduction in service frequencies and/or fare increases for these other islands to keep the ferry and barge businesses viable."
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