Joan Pease says Heritage protection is a major issue

​The State Member for Lytton, Joan Pease, says heritage protection is a major issue for any development at Lota House.  

Anglicare and Village Retirement Group have an application before the Brisbane City Council to build 104 units in four 7-storey towers at the Oceana Terrace site.
Lota House was put on the state heritage register in 1992 as a place “of aesthetic significance… that demonstrates the evolution of Queensland’s history”.
 
Ms Pease says any development application has to respond to those heritage values.

“The application in 2017 prompted a response from the environment minister and I wrote to the then environment minister voicing my concern about heritage protection for Lota House and the trees in that area.

​“Heritage protection is a priority for me and I would not allow changes to the heritage orders. But the application first has to be considered by the Brisbane City Council and the council has to decide whether it does or does not meet their conditions and requirements,” she said.

Anglicare and Village Retirement Group have until November to respond to the council’s request for more information and details of Anglicare’s future plans for the site.

Lota House is owned by the Anglican Church and zoned “Community Facilities”. The application is “Code Assessable”. This means Anglicare does not have to consult with the local community when making an application to develop the land. The proposed tower development can be assessed by council without the need for public input or comment. 
 
Ms Pease says just because the developers don’t have to consult doesn’t mean they shouldn’t.

“It’s the right thing to do and I’m very disappointed that community consultation didn’t take place”.
She said she (and councillor Peter Cumming) had met with the developers and encouraged them to consult with the community to make sure they were “part of the conversation”.

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