Regular contributor to Westender, Jan Bowman, is now contributing to Radio 612 about her observations on the local area. She recently attended a community protest against a development across the river in Guyatt Park and submitted this piece which went to air on Spencer Howson’s breakfast show.
If you and your neighbours wanted to lodge a protest against a development in your street or suburb – do you think you’d have more impact writing individual letters? Or getting as many people as you could to sign a petition?
St Lucia residents – opposed to an 8 storey apartment block on Bryce Street – have banded together and have found the answer. They say it’s confusing just knowing HOW to fight a development.
Whether they’re successful or not – they just want people across Brisbane to learn from their experience. For instance, when the local councillor offers to support you – what does that mean? And why’s it up to residents to find out about, and then raise any concerns about, a development that doesn’t even comply with the guidelines?
612 Community Correspondent Jan Bowman has been looking for some answers: