IPSWICH Council has been taken to task over the fees it is charging a developer looking to push ahead with a major housing development in the region.
The powerful Perth based residential firm, Peet Limited, says council should reduce the infrastructure fees its wants to charge in relation to a planning application they lodged to build 301 homes in Redbank Plains.
The residential dwellings are part of the final stage of its massive Eden’s Crossing Estate.
Peet’s submission to council last month sought approval to build the homes, an open park, and a new road, at 7004 Mount Juillerat Drive.
In the application, Peet’s town planning advisers Saunders Havill Group Pty Ltd pushed council for a fee reduction of more than $60,000, providing comparisons to charges levied by neighbouring councils.
“This letter seeks a fee reduction specifically in relation to the RAL (reconfiguring a lot) fee component,”
Saunders Havill Group’s Anna Havill said. “We understand the (council) RAL fee to be $214,950, based on 301 residential lots, which is considered to be high – particularly given that there is a variation approval in place.”
Ms Havill noted Brisbane City Council would charge $177,280, Moreton Bay Regional Council would charge $102,224, and Toowoomba Regional Council would charge $105,451.
“An average of all four fees identified above would amount to approx. $150,000 which we believe would be a fair,” the letter said.
The Eden’s Crossing Estate was taken over by Peet Limited in 2016 after they purchased it from Devine Limited for $30.25m.
The first blocks were registered in 2017 and the estate is now well advanced to becoming home to 1200 families, it now also has a small shopping village.
According to development plans submitted to the council 101 will be 375 sqm, 87 lots around 450 sqm, 46 lots 335 sqm, 25 lots 312.5 sqm, 18 lots 350 sqm, 13 lots 400 sqm, and 11 lots 250 sqm.
