Chinese developer scales back plans for Buckley St at Yorkeys but locals still protest
The developers behind a proposed Chinese Wellness Centre have slashed the number of units and reduced plans from three storeys to two – but residents are unimpressed. See the timeline of events so far.
Cairns
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The battle for bushland at Yorkeys Knob is reaching boiling point with developers revealing they’ve abandoned plans for a Chinese wellness resort and locals saying that’s not the case at all.
Yorkeys Knob Residents Association spokesman Adrian Gover said Cairns Regional Council had failed to explain why it has given the developer, New Land Cairns Pty Ltd, nine extensions of time since the development application was lodged more than three years ago.
He said on five occasions, there was no evidence the developer had sought an extension of time.
The 1.12ha parcel of land at 46-50 Buckley St was sold by Russell French for $2.1m almost five years ago.
It was marketed at the time as a substantial headland homesite.
A Cairns Regional Council spokesman confirmed the land was zoned low density residential.
“Council has provided extensions in this case to assist the proponent with the application process as part of providing an appropriate level of customer service,” the spokesman said in a statement.
“It has also helped to manage time frame expectations with the developer, community and other stakeholders.
“No further extension has been noted as council is working through the additional information received, with a view of providing a report to council as soon as possible for a decision to be made.”
New Land said in a statement it abandoned plans for the wellness centre and now proposed short-term accommodation.
But the original DA described the project as short-term accommodation.
New Land stated the number of apartments had been slashed from 64 to 46 and now to 38, had ditched the idea of two restaurants and a day spa, and created extra space for parking.
“To address community concerns regarding traffic, loss of vegetation and impacts of the build, the New Land Group has significantly reduced building scale and intensity and increased onsite parking to 44 cars,” it said.
“The elevated site looking north over the water is quiet and relaxing, and that’s the style of accommodation we want to create, so we are determined to retain the peacefulness of the site.”
The building height will be reduced from three to two storeys.
Since 2020, council has issued two notices of intent to refuse, but has also sent letters stating it is largely supportive of the project.
Mr Gover said residents were mystified by council’s continual extensions of time and argued there was no substantial change in the new plans.
“The footprint is essentially the same, the clearing of vegetation is the same, different heights make no difference,” Mr Gover said.
“It’s a massive big clearing on a low density residential block and it’s insane.
“We’ve asked council to show us their requests for extensions of time, they keep saying they’re entitled to request and extension, and we say show us, and council hasn’t been able to provide any evidence they have requested extensions.
“They won’t be satisfied until everything is concreted.”
The last of thousands of documents lodged on the DA was on July 20 when the developer responded to council’s further advice letter.
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Originally published as Chinese developer scales back plans for Buckley St at Yorkeys but locals still protest
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