FOLLOWING up on article called ‘Bubbling Springs and bumpy roads’ in the Moreton Border News on Friday October 8, I want to thank the newspaper for listening to our stressful ordeal and concerns about the safety to our little community.
This proposal was dropped upon us by big business and the Ipswich City Council without any consultation about our safety concerns from the Ipswich City Council or the Bubbling Springs developers.
The Moreton Border News has written in the article that Bubbling Springs manager Claire Baguley said the use of Doonans Road was carefully considered in the development approval process in close consultation with residents.
This is incorrect.
The people of Doonans Road have never been approached by anyone from Bubbling Springs in fact all proposed development signage was placed at the end of Doonans Road past all of the residents’ dwellings at a gate entrance to Bubbling Springs.
This may be legal signage placement, but if we did not venture to the dead end of a no through road this would not have been discovered. How would the local residents have known of this progress with the development of Bubbling Springs?
I spoke with the powers-that-be from Ipswich City Council (ICC) about the Bubbling Springs allotments development and expressed our safety concerns and no consultation was given to the locals.
I started to mention discussions that I have had with generational farmers of Doonans Road who told me of previous owners of the land who had submitted plans to subdivide.
Previous owners were informed if the subdivision was to go ahead on the Laidley -Grandchester Road and on Doonans Road, the roads would need to be upgraded and fully sealed and this was the same answer for an application that was lodged for a rifle club on Doonans Road.
ICC stated “yes that was 15 odd years ago and the policies have now changed” – that’s great for ICC and Bubbling Springs but are we locals second class?
The residents have spoken with emails and signed statements dropped off to ICC in person of their concerns. It seems this development of Bubbling Springs is endorsed by ICC and our safety is not worthy of concern
The crossing of Doonans Road by local farmers with livestock, machinery, hay and stock feed is a part of daily farming life as each property owner has land on the creek flats.
This will now be dangerous not only to the people and farmers of Doonans Road but to livestock crossing, not to mention the public. These concerns have not been considered by ICC.
On Sunday, October 10, I witnessed two people out for a walk, two push bike riders and a man walking his dog, with the proposed 90 plus cars and no footpath or bike lanes this will be dangerous for all concerned.
I have also spoken to Federal Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann, and local members about the road height. I have had meetings on site and shown photos of my partner’s abrasions to her leg from a fall caused by the road height at my gate entrance, still I have received no satisfaction.
I lodged a service request to ICC as have other residents of Doonans Road about the road height and the safety concerns from residents and I have met with ICC and an engineer.
I expressed our concerns explaining that the road height has risen by approximately two feet over time, only to be told I was incorrect. ICC have documentation to show the road height is a 16mm max layer cover placed on the road.
I have photos to show this is incorrect. How can ICC say their documentation is correct when they have never lived on Doonans Road nor do they have any local knowledge of the past.
I was then told by ICC that they cannot do anything. It is not in the program and I must seek resolution with my local member.
Scenic Rim MP Jon Krause rang me he said he will see what he can do but he can’t tell ICC what to do so now we have made contact with Cr Sheila Ireland who says she cannot do anything.
Why do we vote at all? Mr Krause said a court action would be the only way to go so who pays for that?
This country has too many levels of government.
— Michael Cunnington, Grandchester.
