A Rosewood resident is asking the Ipswich City Council to call a public meeting ahead of a decision being made about a main street development.
Council has been asked to grant a permit for a child care centre and café development at 3 and 5 John Street.
Resident, Joan Shale, has told the Moreton Border News that she would like to see Deputy Mayor, Division 4 Councillor Russell Milligan, Division 4 Councillor Kate Kunzelmann and Mayor Teresa Harding hold a community consultation to outline any impact the development may have on the community.
LB4 Holdings Pty Ltd have applied to Council for a development permit for a rezoning of the two properties to ‘Community Use’, to make way for the proposed child care centre and café over the land at 3 to 5 John Street, Rosewood.
Currently, the building at 5 John Street is vacant and an Exemption Certificate has been issued by Council to allow the demolition of the building as it has been judged as incorrectly heritage listed.
However, in the proposal submitted by LB4 Holdings Pty Ltd, some of the facade of the former Almos Shoe Store will be retained.
However, Ms Shale says in the five years she has been a resident of Rosewood, she has regularly used John Street, to pick up her grandchildren from school and describes asthe traffic as ‘chaotic’ around school pick up and drop off times.
“If you have not witnessed the traffic flow on John Street during the school drop off and pick up times, make sure you do, then think about what a child centre in the main street of Rosewood, will do,” she said.
“It is like taking a chance every time you enter John Street from Railway Street, Matthew Street and Albert Street during this time, in addition to other obstacles such as the train and also all of the school children and families who cross these roads.
“Families will often utilise the public carpark, where there are major blind spots when looking to your right and left to exit is dangerous, and children are at risk.
“Also, there is limited parking on John Street and it is already dangerous because of camber issues within the road.
“This needs to be addressed and also investigated before such a huge development goes ahead.”
Ultimately Joan would like to see council representatives and staff talking to the community about this development, to explain exactly what the plans entail.
The Moreton Border News contacted the Ipswich City Council regarding this development and the following response was received from a council spokesman.
“The Mayor and councillors do not usually comment on development applications before it has gone through the proper channels at council.”
