Revealed: Massive retirement village planned for Greenmount
Plans for a 325-home gated retirement village could face significant hurdles, with noise barriers and sewerage capacity among key challenges for developers.
Plans for a massive new gated lifestyle community within a quiet Mackay suburb can be revealed, however its location has presented a number of challenges.
Proximity to a major regional transport corridor mandates the erection of a large acoustic barrier, to shield homes from traffic noise.
While the sheer scale of the project has also raised a potential infrastructure issue regarding wastewater management.
The development, slated for a sprawling 16.5 hectare parcel off the Peak Downs Highway at Greenmount, proposes a five-stage build targeting the over 50s market.
It promises 325 homes in five different styles ranging in size from 220-280sqm, as well as upscale features including a clubhouse precinct and sports pavilion with a pickleball court and covered bowling green, outdoor pool, a community garden, landscaped areas, and essential caravan and boat storage.
Homes will have single or double parking spaces, as well as one visitor parking spot.
Applicant Lincoln Place has more than 20 communities across the country and now hopes to bring its brand of retirement living to the Mackay region to “improve housing choice for residents of Walkerston, Greenmount and the surrounds and avoid the need for established residents to relocate”.
The location however, which fronts the State-controlled highway for about 300m and Kellys Rd, means a 2.25m high acoustic barrier is recommended along the boundary, as well as acoustic building treatments for at least seven dwellings.
It will also require external road widening and footpath upgrades for Kellys Rd, which is also from where the gated community will be accessed. No direct vehicle access is proposed for Peak Downs Highway.
There will be emergency access via Steve St, that will be restricted via a boom gate or something similar.
A town planning report included in the development application, lodged on October 10, stated Mackay Regional Council would also need to assess if the existing sewerage network could handle the influx of residents without expanding its scope, with on-site storage proposed as a possible backup.
“Where there is insufficient capacity, the second strategy is to provide on-site storage to enable discharge to the council network in off-peak periods,” the report stated.
It also stated significant earthworks would be needed for the project to facilitate service infrastructure connections, road grades and more, requiring three-metre sleeper retaining walls.
The report notes the prevailing retaining wall heights only ranged from one to 2.6 metres.
