NAYbours: Residents say no to unit development - Toowoomba Chronicle

OVERLOOKED: Sophie Elmes, with daughter Olivia, is concerned a proposed double-storey unit development next to the family Bridge St home will compromise the privacy of her family and change the nature of the neighbourhood, Thursday, November 06, 2014. Photo Kevin Farmer / The Chronicle Kevin Farmer

IT'S big, it's tall and the neighbours don't want it.

A proposed two-storey residential unit development bounded by Cavell and Bridge Sts has residents up in arms.

Privacy and preserving the look of the neighbourhood are the opponents' key concerns.

Mother-of-three Sophie Elmes lives next to the proposed site.

She is concerned that if the project goes ahead, 10 bedrooms will overlook her backyard.

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7. NAYbours: Residents say no to new development

"I can't explain to my five-year-old that he can't go out and be naked under the sprinkler because there might be people watching.

"It will destroy the neighbourhood. It's a form of social vandalism," she said.

Bridge St resident Rick Laing said preserving Toowoomba's character was important.

"This development will destroy the reason why people invested in the area. If we wanted to live in the midst of high density apartments we could have moved to Teneriffe (Brisbane)," he said.

Brett Gredig, who lives on Cavell St, said the units would be out of place in the street.

"It's a narrow, quiet, tree-lined street chosen by us for its simple and pleasant charms," he said.

The proposed complex would comprise of 14 units including 10, two bedroom units and four, three bedroom units on the land at 68 Bridge St and 29 Cavell St.

No decision has yet been made on the proposal which was submitted to council on October 27.

The residents opposed to the project said they don't want Toowoomba Regional Council to rubber stamp the proposal.

"We want this to go to a full council meeting," Mrs Elmes said.

The developer, Invest & Grow, was not available for comment.

UNIT BLOCK: A double-storey block of units is proposed for this Bridge St address. Kevin Farmer