Queanbeyan council is carrying out more community consultation on a Braidwood development after backlash to its proposal. Photo: Kazuri Photography.
A regional council is headed back to the drawing board after community concerns were raised about plans for a historic site.
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QRPC) has been working to redevelop the D&S Motors site at 88 Wallace Street and some of the nearby council depot site in Braidwood.
The sites would be transformed into shared spaces and affordable housing, as part of council’s long-term plans to move the depot.
For the works to progress, a development application would need to be lodged and assessed, though QPRC has decided to seek endorsement of the concept designs first.
At a recent meeting, councillors heard from a member of a focus group that met in August 2025, who described the process as rushed and lacking changes for genuine feedback.
“[It was] quite alarming to see this item ready for endorsement,” she said of the timeline.
She said the plans were “essentially flashed to the group” and there were only minimal changes made following their feedback.
The meeting heard that focus group members were unable to share the concept plans with the organisations they represented ahead of the QPRC meeting about its endorsement.
Under the current plans, there would be shaded seating, public toilets and community spaces. Existing underground fuel tanks would also be filled in and remediated.
The carpark will feature EV charging and disabled parking spaces and be connected to the Wallace Street site by a pedestrian laneway.
Concerns around a lack of community consultation were echoed by another speaker who addressed the meeting and urged QPRC to do more work on the project.
During the meeting, Councillor Mark Schweikert urged his fellow councillors to move forward with the project.
“Sometimes, if you’re going to consult, consult [and] consult, that’ll be the enemy of completion.”
A council staff member also told the meeting that grant funding came with a timeline attached, with the Commonwealth Government funding expiring in April 2026 and NSW Government funding at the end of 2026.
“That’s the issue that staff have identified, in terms of risk, is just our ability to meet the funding deadline,” the staff member said.
Spiire Australia was awarded a contract to design the project. Image: Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.
Councillor Katrina Wills moved a motion calling on council to do more feedback (including via public exhibition of the proposed plans) and consider any feedback received.
She said it was better if changes were made before a DA was lodged and that QPRC could ask for a funding extension if it was needed.
“This project has been keenly anticipated in Braidwood … I think the general ideas in this concept design are good.
“However, I have also received feedback from residents that there’s been very limited opportunity to comment on the design concept and they’d like more time to review it.
“I’m not comfortable endorsing the design concept when I’ve heard that there are critical issues the community has concerns with.”
Councillor Mareeta Grundy said residents had also spoken to her about their concerns.
“When we look at this, this project will have a significant and lasting effect on the main street of Braidwood. Locals will have to live with that result for some time, so I think it’s only fair that we do take some time [developing it].”
Council documents released online as part of the new round of community consultation state the DA would likely be evaluated by an independent assessor (instead of QPRC, given its involvement in the process).
The documents also state that the project’s full cost is unknown, as a construction tender will be decided in the future.
Councillor Schweikert was the only councillor to vote against the amendment, before it became the motion and passed unanimously.
Further information on how people can have their say is available on the project’s page on the Your Voice QPRC website. Consultation closes on 29 September.
