Maridahdi School case in Toowoomba

A CITY PLANNING JOURNAL ARTICLE
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Abstract
This Journal article analyses the long battle for 1 South Street in Rangeville between the community school and area residents. The Maridahdi early childhood community school made an application to the city council of Toowoomba seeking permission to expand into the nearby location which is listed as a heritage area by the state.
This proposal attracted strong resistance from residents of Rangeville who cited various reasons for their opposition to the proposal. They cited several reasons such as increased traffic, loss of area amenity, increased noise, stability of the escarpment on which the school is to be developed among others.
The proposal was recommended by the city planning officer for approval by the councilors committee albeit with some conditions. However, these recommendations were rejected by the councilors under the pressure from their electorates.
Each party in the struggle engaged in aggressive media campaigns to convince councilors to vote in their favor. Protests were carried out up to the city council gates by the residents as a way to voice their opposition to the school project.
The requirements for development as stipulated in the council act were met by the school in their plans. Council requested for the expert advice on the matter which were consistent with the proposed plan.
The residents and the city council stand to gain a lot from the school establishment. However, councilor’s refused to approve the school project despite the potential benefits that will accrue to the community due to its establishment
Maridahdi School case in Toowoomba
Definition of town planning issue; Maridahdi School case in Toowoomba
Maridahdi School which started as a community kindergarten in 1973 is now serving more 200 children in four multi- age classrooms. Maridahdi is about linking children, their families and the community with a philosophy of empowering the children. Maridahdi Early Childhood Community School is located 3-7 Bowtell Street Toowoomba Qld 4350, (maridahdi, n.d). figure below shows the proposed development plan for the school.


Figure 1. showing the plan for the proposed school.
In its expansion bid, Maridahdi School proposed to expand to Number 1 South Street. However this proposal was strongly opposed by residents of Rangeville forcing both parties to engage in a fierce battle through local media in their bid to convince the council.
The school had proposed to set up a campus in a heritage listed home, Geeumbi which is owned by Mary Gapp, who consented to their move to construct an ‘educational establishment’ school on her five acre land. This was situated in a residential neighborhood zone, sloppy but stable area prone to bushfire and near the airport with an 8km wildlife buffer, (epa, n.d).
The proposal by the school was recommended by council planning panel for approval by the Toowoomba Regional Council. In a packed meeting dated August 27, planning officer hinted that application by the school could be approved subject to 116 conditions.
In his argument, Geoff Castle representing the community against school establishment said that 681 objections were submitted by his team to the council. Both parties outlined the matters alongside which the council should consider in evaluating the application.
This ranged from stability of escarpment land of Geeumbi on which the school is to be developed, risk posed by bush fire, increase in noise and traffic, likely loss of amenity and zoning issues among others.
The proposal by the school to relocate to Rangeville, a heritage listed home was contentiously rejected by Toowoomba regional councilors voting against the recommendations of council planning officer rejecting the bid by the school to expand.
A committee meeting attended by all councilors was convened a day before to discuss the bid by Maridahdi school to expand from their current Bowtell street campus to1 south street heritage listed home. This school expansion plan was discussed by councilors amid strong opposition from the area residents who argued that setting up the school at a home known as Geeumbi will jeopardize areas amenity and negatively affect them.
With no doubt, the school project issue raised temperatures, dividing both the public and councilors right in the middle. The open council meeting attracted many audiences and discussions in the public became rowdy. Councilor Joe Ramia moved a motion opposing recommendations by council planning officer Mrs. Jessica Garratt, (ToowoombaNews, n.d).
A long debate ensued in the public gallery with councilors taking different positions voicing their views and opinions to the school establishment.
Media campaigns and protests
Prior to the rulings, the two antagonists engaged in massive campaigns to convince both council planners and councilors to rule in their favor. For instance, local newspaper ‘Toowoomba News’ was used by both parties to argue their points. The use of television and protests near Toowoomba council offices by the community against school establishment was witnessed on a large scale. In some cases, the community used a full page advertisement in a newspaper.
Court battle
The matter finally found its way into court rooms after the refusal by Toowoomba Regional Council to allow for the establishment of the school. The key players Maridahdi School appealed against councilor’s decision in Toowoomba house court.
Both parties attended the mediation hearing and residents opposed to school establishment reiterated their position categorically stating that they had no intention to compromise their position on the matter.
Characteristics of the site area
The proposed site for school establishment is accessible by vehicle and pedestrians through bitumen sealed road of South Street, which is a dual-lane carriageway. The site has a remnant of retained vegetable within the verge of the road. Figure 2 below shows the western view of remnant vegetation.


Fig 2. Western view of Geeumbi vegetation.
The west- east side of site has moderate slope which becomes steeper towards the north eastern end of the site. There exists vegetation cover some listed as ‘endangered ecosystem’ on ecosystem maps. There is currently state listed heritage premise ‘Geeumbi’ on the subject land. There also exists a residence, tennis court and gardens on the land, (McDonald, 2009).
Stakeholders and their interest in the issue
Major stakeholders in the school expansion project are Rangeville residents and Maridahdi community school. Others stakeholders are Toowoomba Regional Council, government through the ministries of education and environmentalists.
Rangeville residents
These are major stakeholders who are opposed to the school expansion project into their area of residence. They strongly opposed the establishment of Maridahdi community school citing several points of concern through their spokesman, Mr. Geoff Castle.
They aggressively campaigned against the establishment of Maridahd School, outlining several reasons to justify their opposition to the school expansion project. They bitterly opposed recommendations by council planning panel and demanded an open council meeting to deliberate on the issue.
They publicly expressed their dissatisfactions for the council planning officer’s move stating that council bureaucrats have been too detached from the community and were making decisions that could negatively affect the community.
They further stated that only the councilors had a greater understanding of the plight of the community and they were upbeat that decisions by planning committee will be overturned by the councilors.
Maridahdi early childhood community school
This is the other principle stakeholder that came with a proposal to relocate to Rangeville area prompting resistance from the residents. The proposal was welcomed by the council planning committee but was later quashed by the councilors committee following fierce resistance from area residence.
The school was dissatisfied with councilor’s decision for which they appealed in the court of Toowoomba leading to a legal tussle between the two opposing parties.
Toowoomba regional council
The regional council, which is mandated to approve the establishment of schools in any area and responding to the needs of residents found itself caught in between. The matter tore council right in the middle.
The council through an open councilor’s forum however managed to yield to local demands and for the first time in council history overturned recommendations by its own planning committee to set up a community school in Rangeville area.
Environmentalist and ministry of education
School establishment plan in a heritage escarpment area of Rangeville in a heritage listed home of Geeumbi raised matters of environmental concern which attracted the attention of environmentalist in the case. The environmental issues such as bushfire risk, noise increase, soil erosion and zoning are grave matters touching on environment.


Figure 3. Showing subject map showing bushfire prone areas. source: Ivan McDonald Architects report.
The Government was another stakeholder in school establishment matter. It has the responsibility of providing education for the citizens and protecting the rights of citizens. It also found itself caught in the middle between providing education and protecting its citizens against possible dangers of the project.
Detail the cases that could be put by all sides
Different matters of concern were raised by both parties in the case. The basis of their argument for the case ranged from to stability of escarpment, risk of bushfire, increased traffic in South Street, the issue of increased noise, possible loss of social amenity and zoning matters.
Those opposed to the proposal outlined about 681 objections as stated by their representative Mr. Castle. Some of their cases of argument for and against the proposal are based on:
School or units
There was a tussle between building of school in a four level five acre home, Geeumbi and building residential units. The proponents of the plan including the owner of the home preferred school because they believed this will greatly assist the community than building residential units.
Ms Shelly Gapp, the daughter of a home owner, in supporting the proposal told the council planning panel that her family was deeply hurt and baffled by residents’ campaign against establishment of community school in the area.
The school outlined engineering and architectural design that will greatly reduce risks associated with land instability. The proposed construction methods are related to those used in constructing buildings along the escarpments and provide enhancement ...