brisbane bridge over river
building, home

Wait there’s more to come

Forestwood

Our little estate by the sea is set to grow and thrive. The developers have not just built houses. They want to build a community.

The development will also include a shopping and dining precinct.

I am looking forward to it. No fixed date yet, but it will include cafes, a fresh food and small market and a ancillary health suites. Good for those wanting to retire by the sea.

Some people are concerned about the high density that more development may bring. To me, it is part of living in an attractive part of the world. Near services, close to a major capital hub, or at least within commuting distance, and a waterfront lifestyle.

For many that is paradise. And of course, it represents profits for the developer, who commenced the original part of this peninsular development about fifty years ago.

Any development always represents a tussle between losing the natural environment and the needs of a growing population, and an economy that pushes and supports progress and profits. How to balance the two?

Not easy.

There is a community group that is opposing the increase in height from 5 stories to 7 stories for mid to high density townhomes and apartments.

Am I concerned? Normally I would be, and if it was right on my doorstep, yes I would absolutely be against it? But really they are arguing about air space. The air between five and seven stories!

In New York, air space about floor level has a price, and can be transferred, bought and sold, just like any real estate lot! Can you believe that?

As far as environmental concerns go, the debate between five and seven stories is not so relevant, but it does set a worrying precedent.

What are your thoughts on development? Pros? Cons?

Published by Forestwood

A philosophic Aussie writes here at StPA, one who will readily admit to loving Scandinavia. I'm interested in global politics and what drives us to be who we are. Scratch the surface and you'll find a practical Environmentalist with an egalitarian bent, trying to unleash a little creativity via the written word. Scandinavian culture, literature and traditions are close to my heart, even though I'm Australian. Travel and courteous discussions greatly broaden the mind, so I travel if I can and am always up for a vigorous, respectful discussion. I'm an avid reader, I enjoy photography and craft, particularly traditional art forms. I hope you'll find 'Something to Ponder About,' in my WordPress Community.

16 thoughts on “Wait there’s more to come”

    1. Sympathetic ir aesthetic constraints are the hardest to quantify without being subjective. When I competed an EIA, in the 80’s, (Environmental impact assessment), we had very crude criteria to rate this benefit, and it was open to bias. I am not sure if it has changed significantly?

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    2. We see some monstrosities being built and it’s as if the city turned a blind eye to regulations. But I give credit to one developer. They presented their original plan and a resident committee (my suburb) pointed out the many aspects that were counterproductive (would adversely affect sales). They listened and got it right in the end.

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  3. There are always pros and cons. In hindsight, some developments have certainly been costly to the environment, yet others, despite protestors prophecies of doom and gloom, have brought progress and only good things to communities. If hindsight could only be foresight we’d always have beneficial development. Living in a country area that has a good community structure, and good facilities, I’m personally all for strategic development.

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    1. Good point that different communities will have different thoughts on development. Even so I think it is hard to factor in all decisions and almost impossible to make everyone happy. I guess it’s finding a balance between everyone’s needs and also keeping the majority happy. You are very right though, if only hindsight was foresight. We can only hope the lessons kearned from past mistakes are remembered and avoided.

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  5. One slippery slope here, Amanda. They are building more up than out here too. Even in our little trailer park of 500+ homes, the just bulldozed a block of trees to put in 3-5 more single story prefabricated homes. We can see in each others homes if we leave our curtains open. I’m fortunate to back up to utility owned land so they can’t build behind me or they would. It’s always about profit, not the planet. I’d like to see more trees in parking lots too. I’m getting off my soapbox now and going to sleep.

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    1. Trees in parking lots could improve the aesthetics and the shading factor. The environment must be factored in to any planning decision and these days, environmental concerns should be weighted much more heavily as there is so much more to consider. Our cities must grow, that is undeniable as folks need a place to live, but they can be greener and prettier too, don’t you think?

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I love a good discussion. What do you have to say?

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