​Council considers radical aged care changes to the City Plan.

The Brisbane City Council has drafted the Retirement and Aged Care Amendments Package because it wants more retirement living in Brisbane suburbs.
 
If approved, the amendments would make it easier for developers like Village Retirement Group to build inappropriate high rise. It will be harder for the community to object.
 
The council is not making a distinction between “retirement living” and aged care. As you know, they are different.

Retirement living includes high rise units often with gyms, cinemas, bowling greens and community centres. Less than 6 per cent of people aged over 65 live in retirement villages.

Aged care is low rise, easy access designed for older people who need different levels of care.
Most developers want to build high rise retirement villages not aged care.
 
The council’s proposed amendments to the city plan offer developers a number of incentives.
 
They include:

• fast track development applications
• allow an aged care facility to change to a retirement village without a planning application
• allow developers of large blocks to build “as of right” 2 storeys higher than the current zoning permits
• allow businesses (including child care centres) to be set up in aged care facilities with no right of objection from the local community

• rezoning of land within the suburbs so it can be developed as a retirement village

 
The date for submissions and comments (Sept 21, 018) has passed.
But the council has not yet debated or voted on the amendments. And before they become law they have to be reviewed by the State Government.
 
BAG has planned meetings with the Mayor Graham Quirk and the State Development Minister, Cameron Dick. We will explain the community’s ongoing opposition to the proposed Lota House development and concerns about amendments to the city plan.
 
Please join our letter writing campaign so you can have your say.
 
We will hand deliver your letter to the Mayor and the Minister. And we want as many letters as possible to make a strong statement to the politicians.
 
Tell your friends and start writing.
See some examples of letters already written. 
 
Read more about the amendments to the city plan
See the proposed table of amendments