Council Endorses Bridge Street Quarry Feasibility Study

04 Feb 2019 Print

Residents are now able to view the final report of the Bridge Street Quarry Feasibility Study, following endorsement of the document by Toowoomba Regional Council.

The report, which went before Council in December 2018, will guide planning and decision making relating to the future development of the site.

Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio said the study identified a number of opportunities for the site and recommended a three-staged development process.

“This is an exciting document for Council which underlines how much potential there is from developing the old quarry site,” he said.

“To achieve development potential, stage one will incorporate the essential rehabilitation works which will lay the foundations for community based and commercial development opportunities in stages two and three.”

The three stages include:

Stage one: Make safe by rehabilitating the site to provide safe and environmentally sustainable greenspace, and increase connectivity to Jubilee Park Stage two: Low, community-based development with activity precincts for entry garden/arrival experience, community gardens, children’s play, and engagement with volunteer groups Stage three: Moderate development with greater scope for commercial development and more intensive landscaping and public infrastructure, education/arts hub, adventure, activity hub connecting into Jubilee Park with a café and key adventure attraction (e.g. zip line), high-end eco-resort, restaurant/events venue, rock wall projections and the like to produce a high amenity in keeping with a world-class tourism precinct.

The report recommends public investment in the first two stages at an estimate cost of $8.53 million. The third stage looks to attract private investment.

“We are now in the process of establishing a Bridge Street Quarry Development Working Group to investigate and recommend governance and management arrangements for further consideration by Council,” Mayor Antonio said.

“We will consider the quarry gardens project at each review of our 10-Year Capital Works Program. Council will also need to secure external funding to progress the development.

“Ideally, we would love to start work on this project but the size and cost of the entire development means this will be a long-term project for Council. The site in the present form constitutes a significant public safety hazard and so our immediate priority is to make the site safe in order to realise the future development opportunities.”

The site was originally used for quarrying operations from the 1870s until 1994. Council acquired freehold title of the site in 2000, and subsequent ideas were conceptualised for the future use of the site as a Quarry Gardens.

The Quarry Gardens Preliminary Evaluation Project is a joint initiative of the Queensland Government and Toowoomba Regional Council.

For more information or to view a copy of the Bridge Street Quarry Feasibility Study, visit: www.tr.qld.gov.au/quarrystudy or contact Council on 131 872.

Last Updated: Monday, 04 February 2019 11:15