Have your say: Opinions mixed on plans for new lifestyle village
Community members have shared their thoughts on the proposed lifestyle village development. SEE THE PLANS.
Fraser Coast
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A Brisbane-based company seeking to build an over 50s lifestyle village on bushland at Urangan has been met with mixed opinions from the public.
Metcap Investments Pty Ltd lodged the application for “Riverbend Resorts” with Fraser Coast Council last year.
They intend to build 160 single storey residential homes in stages; community facilities with indoor bowling, pool, function room, lounge bar and recreation area; internal open space networks and internal transport networks for pedestrians and standard vehicles.
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“The proposed development provides for better sustainability outcomes, greater public accessibility, high levels of services to the residents and public and contemporary and sustainable environmental outcomes,” the development application read.
The block at 128-136 Elizabeth St is located down the road from Sugar Coast Village, another home village for over 50s.
An ecological report prepared for the applicant stated there were “no identified significant vegetation stands or trees” on the site and therefore the existing vegetation would not be retained.
However, they stated that landscaping and vegetation will be an important part of the overall development.
“Landscape elements will include screening and buffer planting, open space beautification, individual development area beautification and screening and site rehabilitation in specific open space localities,” the DA further read.
Company directors Brisbane-born Nicholas James Jimenez and Mexican-born Alejandro Medina Jimenez released the proposed “relocatable home park” for community consultation on January 15.
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Some residents took to social media to publicly express their opinions on the development.
Raelene Jury started the conversation in a community board stating the block of land and its trees were home to families of white cockatoos and other wildlife that would lose their home if the development went ahead.
“Surely this beautiful park/land with many gorgeous, huge, grand trees can be left as is,” she said, to which Rachael Knipe agreed.
“They already built two huge lifestyle villages in Urangan with another on the way next door to Anchorage. Enough already,” she wrote.
Others welcomes the proposal, with some like Simone Youman stating if the development application got this far “there is obviously a need for it”.
In a pre-lodgement meeting held with the council, the application originally proposed to build either a relocatable home park or a retirement facility.
According to documents, support was given for either land use, but the applicant was required to demonstrate that an appropriate level of residential amenity can be maintained in the locality, due to a higher density than envisaged within the low-density area.
To have your say, email development@frasercoast.qld.gov.au.
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