Gladstone Regional Council table amended Development Application for Agnes Water car park

After outcry from some residents, Gladstone Regional Council has tabled an amended proposal for a large car park in the heart of popular tourist destination Agnes Water.

After vigorous community consolation and outcry from some residents, the Gladstone Regional Council has tabled an amended proposal for a 73-space car park in Agnes Water.

Following three community engagement sessions in July and August, GRC said it changed its development application to provide an amended design.

GRC said the design would reduce the carpark’s footprint, the number of car parks from 87 and increase the areas of vegetation and setbacks from Beach Houses Estate.

On 1 December 2020, GRC approved a material change of use for the land to enable a carpark to be constructed (based on the amended concept plan) subject to conditions.

In January 2021, two submitters lodged an appeal in the Planning & Environment Court (as is the required process for disputing a development approval) seeking the development approval be set aside and the Court refuse the development.

If Council did not defend the appeal the development approval would be set aside.

Council said it had complied with the directions of the Court in respect to engaging experts to provide reports.

On Wednesday, GRC said it considered there was a need for the proposed public car park as it would improve environmental, safety and maintenance outcomes for the site and support economic growth for the popular tourist destination.

“Following a thorough review of all relevant considerations and applying relevant laws and the Planning Scheme, Council considers the concept design approved by Council in December 2020 is appropriate,” GRC said.

The original Development Application image for a material change of use to a car park at 5 Agnes Street, Agnes Water.

“Noting it is also subject to the development approval conditions, detailed design and the requirements for operational works permit.”

But this proposal is still controversial to many residents, who have been campaigning for a different carpark design which maintains much of the vegetation.

Resident Dr Jane Gray said the carpark would go against the planning scheme and Agnes Water & Seventeen Seventy structure plan.

The latter document shows the area in question as open space, sport and recreation, and mixed use.

However, the residents launched an appeal to the Planning and Environment court, which is still ongoing.

"We primarily used that court to actually have a mediation, a time to talk to council," Dr Gray said.

"But unfortunately, council didn't use it as an option."

It's understood funding for the council's carpark would come from temporarily available Covid recovery funding which has since been used to repair roads on the Discovery Coast.

Dr Gray said residents are still waiting to see the full experts reports on the matter.

"We're starting to feel that we don't have a voice," she said.