A DEVELOPER is applying for a development application to keep bees on land earmarked for homes.
Cherish wants approval for animal husbandry – bee-keeping – on 160ha of land at Springview Village 2 and Village 3 Precinct, where Stockland hopes to build around 1,800 homes at Woogaroo Forest.
Applying on behalf of Cherish, a town planning officer for RCF wrote: “At this point in time, future development has still not progressed as quickly as anticipated, and therefore the interim beekeeping use is proposed to continue operating until such time development begins to occur over the site.
“The interim use is expected to operate for up to an additional four years.
“The proposal will retain the existing beehive locations in the north and vehicle access to Mur Boulevard and Panorama Drive.
“Additionally, the applicant seeks to relocate one of the beehive locations in future to the south of the site and include a secondary vehicle access point via Parkside Drive.
“The proposed use is consistent with the provisions of the ‘Springfield Structure Plan’.”
Developers pay less land tax on sites used for primary production as they are valued at a lower price than those zoned as future residential land.
The siting of native bee hives on vacant suburban land earmarked for development has been a long-used practice, especially in Ipswich.
Two years ago, Springfield City Group – using its former name of Springfield Land Corporation – applied to bring in more native bee hives onto vacant land.
It wanted to rezone future residential sites for beekeeping on 238ha over 10 lots at Springfield Central, Springfield, Augustine Heights, Brookwater and Spring Mountain.
In 2014, it installed 1,300 beehives on 666ha of its land which led to the Queensland Treasurer and Ipswich Council questioning the group’s actions with accusations of tax avoidance.
This resulted in a change in the council’s rates policy and a Supreme Court challenge.
A report to Ipswich City Council in 2014 stated the move saved Springfield Land Corporation $723,000 in rates in 2013-14 by classifying future residential land as land for primary production.
The land valuation on the 666ha dropped from $88.3 million to $22 million after being re-classified as primary production, a report to council stated.
The reclassification also had major implications on state government land tax and is estimated to have saved Springfield Land Corporation $1.3 million in 2014.
Bee hives are currently on vacant lots at 7002 Brookwater Drive, across the road from Springfield Rise at 7001 Russell Luhrs Way, Spring Mountain, and 160 Sinnathamby Boulevard.
Infrastructure, Planning and Assets Committee Chairperson Councillor Andrew Antoniolli said the application to extend an interim land use for beekeeping at 7001 Mur Boulevard, Springfield is currently being assessed by council officers.
“It is the responsibility of the State Government’s Valuer-General to manage land valuations and determine individual property valuations,” he said.
“Council is required under the Local Government Act 2009 to rate properties in accordance with its relevant adopted budget, according to the State Valuer-General’s land valuations.
“Questions on impacts to State Government land tax should be directed to the Queensland Government.”
