‘Preposterous, hideous’: Residents rebel against Chinese development proposal

Two and half years after an initial development application sparked fury, residents of a northern beaches suburb are galvanising afresh for a fight.

AN avalanche of protests is deluging Cairns Regional Council as the battle to stop a Chinese developer building a high-density project on bushland on the northern beaches revs up.

Many are asking why the development is still on the cards two years and six months after the original development application was lodged – council has granted the developers nine extensions of time, issued two notices of intent to refuse the application, and has now allowed the revised plans.

Chinese developer New Lands Cairns has submitted revised plans for its proposed wellness centre at Yorkeys Knob. Picture: Supplied

The “wellness centre” at Buckley St in Yorkeys Knob proposed by Chinese company New Lands Cairns, comprises of 64 units and central facilities.

Alerted to a fresh notification period, Yorkeys Knob residents held a meeting and galvanised to get submissions in ahead of the closing date of November 18.

There are already 52 individual submissions, many of them very detailed, against the revised proposal.

Chinese developer New Lands Cairns has submitted revised plans for its proposed wellness centre at Yorkeys Knob. Picture: Supplied

They argue a foreign-owned wellness centre with its own in-house restaurants would be of limited benefit to the community, loss of flora and fauna, traffic issues and lack of adequate parking, and that the area is zoned low density.

Residents say it is ugly, hideous, and preposterous and note there is no pool or spa.

Objectors noted the wellness centre is in the midst of a flight path and there would be aircraft noise as well as noise from the nearby Yorkeys Knob Boat Club.

One resident likened it to the failed $8bn Aquis development proposed by Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung.

Developer New Lands Cairns has plans to build a Wellness Centre with 64 short-term accommodation units, two restaurants and spas.

Yorkeys Knob resident Adrian Gover said he was angry the community had a 15-day notification period to act, while the developer has had more than two years.

“The legislation appears designed for the developer, and not the community,” Mr Gover said.

He said the new plans did not have any significant changes and the development footprint had been reduced by only three per cent.

“It is clear that the destruction of the vegetated headland and in its place, a high density development, does not stack up to community expectation,” Mr Gover said.

Developer New Lands Cairns has plans to build a wellness centre at 46-50 Buckley St in Yorkeys Knob.

“There are other examples of similar short-term accommodation facilities that have converted to more permanent accommodation that now impact adversely on the local community.”

Protesters say the building height is still above the code of 8.5m.

“There is no benefit at all to the residents of Yorkeys Knob – guests will be catered for by two restaurants in the wellness centre,” Trish Mercado said.

Architecture student Kimberley Taylor said “the bulky nature would ruin the natural surrounds of Half Moon Bay” and she urged council to buy the 1.1ha land as a nature reserve.

“It will do nothing to enhance the community,” Ian Stephens said.

John Chapple said: “I cannot believe that this proposal has even got this far,” adding the land was zoned residential and that the development “would set a bad precedent”.

Developer New Lands Cairns has persisted since May 2020 trying to get its application for a 64-unit wellness centre at Yorkeys Knob through council.

Nicola Strange urged council to “refuse this preposterous building application by overseas investors”.

Phil Gibson asked council to “stop this garbage now” and to refuse the development on “general ugliness”.

Michael Powell said people were sick of the proposal hanging over their heads and Diana Tuke said it was “basically a cheap motel complex”.

Katherine Fryer said permanent long term housing was needed and council needed to “start working for the people who pay rates”.

The developer was contacted for comment.

Originally published as ‘Preposterous, hideous’: Residents rebel against Chinese development proposal