Plans unveiled for new school on former golf course

Residents in Mango Hill and North Lakes are preparing to challenge proposals for a new independent school on North Lakes golf course land.

The Village Development Group (TVDG) has outlined plans for a new school on eight hectares at the southern end of the former golf course site.

TVRG says a number of independent education organisations had “expressed interest in establishing a new school” on the land to meet future demand for enrolments.

In a media release, TVRG says the land is zoned for sport and recreation, but education “is an allowable use under the planning scheme on that site”.

Need for schools

It also says in 2018 the North Lakes community identified a need for more school facilities and playing fields, which are in the North Lakes Common Master Plan.

But, Mango Hill Progress Association (MHPA) believes that “circumvents” the area’s long-standing Development Control Plan.

MHPA President Laurence Christie says “there are alternative sites in the local area for additional educational facilities should they be required”. 

TVRG believes they are. Based on census data, it says demand for non-government school enrolments will increase by between 1550-1790 students for primary schools and 1650-2340 students for secondary schools in the next 15 years.

State approval

TVRG will seek State Government approval for the school, between Endeavour Blvd and Diamond Jubilee Way, through Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID).

The company is also preparing to lodge a development application for an aged care facility and retirement village on another parcel of the land - a move already challenged by Save North Lakes Golf Course (SNLGC) group.

Andrew Cathcart, from SNLGC, told last week’s Mango Hill Progress Association (MHPA) meeting the new school proposal had a lot of people "concerned”.

“We have been inundated with emails, my phone has gone ballistic,” he said. “People are very concerned because it affects how they live, their family and how they want to live.”

Full support

President Laurence Christie says MHPA “fully supports the aims of the SNLGC representing North Lakes residents in their efforts to retain a quality of life that will be destroyed if commercial or educational structures are permitted in the centre of an existing compact residential community”.

He said MHPA strongly believes the State Planning Minister, Steven Miles must “deny any application for any educational facility on the land known as the North Lakes Golf Course on the grounds such a facility is not essential on that land.

“Keep faith with 25,000 residents of North Lakes who bought land in North Lakes based on the provisions the existing Development Control Plan that includes the North Lakes Golf Course providing both recreational and environmental benefits to the local society.”

Control plan

MHPA also urges Minister Miles to: "View the application of the developers as a strategy to circumvent the provisions of a legally-based Development Control Plan that has underpinned the very foundation for attracting residents to bring their families to North Lakes over the past 20 years.

And "deny the application for zoning land on the North Lakes Golf Course for an educational facility."

Mr Christie says: “By denying this application, the Queensland Government will gain the trust of its citizens that they can rely on a North Lakes prospectus (Mango Hill Development Control Plan) that has made this community one of the premier residential developments in this state."

MHPA last week passed a resolution “requesting each of our Local, State and Federal representatives to do whatever is necessary to retain and enforce the Mango Hill Infrastructure Development and Control Plan”.

No discussions

The decision would be made by Deputy Premier Steven Miles, the Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning.

“As Planning Minister, I am not currently considering, had discussions about or involved in a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation proposal related to the former North Lakes Golf Course,” the Deputy Premier says.

“A formal request for a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation would be required to be made to the department.

“Nearby residents and community members are encouraged to take part in any current and future community engagement.”

Consultation

Moreton Bay Regional Council and residents would be approached for feedback later in the MID process, but the Minister would make the final decision.

TVRG has prepared computer modelling of the school plan to “provide an understanding of the low level of visual impact on our neighbours”.

The group is also in discussion with Moreton Bay Regional Council that would see most the site – about 47 hectares - transfer to Council for use as a public park.

Land use

Under its proposal, TVRG says the total 67.7 hectare area would become:

47.1ha parkland

10.3ha retirement living

8.5ha educational institution

1.8ha aged care facility.

For further details and to comment on the school proposal visit northlakescommon.com.au.