Noosa residents object to $40m boutique resort development proposal

Noosa residents are fighting plans for a $40m ‘boutique’ 112-room development which could become the region’s first new resort in over a decade. Read why they’re fighting it:

Noosa residents are gearing up for a battle against a $40m resort developer who wants to bring a touch of luxury to the region’s accommodation offerings.

Hundreds of objections against the Noosa Springs resort are being considered as a decision looms on GH Australia’s major development.

The Chinese-backed property development group has lodged development applications to build the 112-room resort, restaurant and bar at the masterplanned Noosa Springs community.

But the project has been largely rejected by residents with hundreds writing to council to call for its refusal.

Noosa Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association president Adrian Williams said the development was inconsistent with the site’s zoning.

He raised concern that the majority of the resort was to be built in the area designated for “recreation and open space” zoning.

The development application said it was not possible for the resort to be built entirely within the Tourist Accommodation zone.

Adrian Williams (middle), pictured with Sandy Bolton and former Noosa Mayor Tony Wellington, made a submission on behalf of a Noosa community group and Mr Wellington at the Noosa Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association AGM.

“(The association) does not accept a developer’s desire to exploit their investment’s maximum potential as a reasonable justification to overcome a site’s inconsistent use and zoning planning conflicts,” Mr Williams wrote in a submission against the project.

The group also raised concern with the building height being in excess of 12 metres in some areas and for the “considerable destruction” on non-juvenile koala habitat trees.

If approved it could be the first new resort in the Noosa region in more than a decade.

Tourism Noosa has backed the proposal with chief executive Melanie Anderson describing it as having the potential to diversify the holiday hotspot’s accommodation options.

“(A) luxury boutique hotel experience will appeal to high value travellers who stay longer and spend more,” Ms Anderson said.

“There is strong demand for new accommodation experiences.

Tourism Noosa CEO Melanie Anderson said the region a new boutique resort.

“The introduction of a boutique hotel experience is genuinely needed in our product offering.”

The application said the project could be similar to Dragon Lake International Resort in Guangzhou, known as “one of the most luxurious residential communities in southern China”.

GH Australia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Kong’s Golden Horse Group, which purchased the Noosa Springs Golf Course in 2014.

The application said market research from Lucid Economics undertaken on behalf of GH Australia found a shortage in “high-quality, full service hotel properties” in Noosa.

“The only branded full-service hotel in Noosa itself is the Sofitel and, so far as we are aware, no others are currently being planned,” it said.

It said the majority of the apartments at the Fairways Noosa Springs were owner/occupier or rented long-term leaving few options for tourists who want to stay close to the golf course.

It said Noosa Springs managers reported groups in recent times had decided to go elsewhere because of limited short-stay accommodation.

The resort could be used for “leisure, conferences, weddings and golf course users”.

It would have an architectural style similar to the clubhouse complex and would be integrated within the Noosa Springs clubhouse and spa complex.

A Noosa Council spokesman said officers were considering about 430 submissions before bringing the application to a future council meeting.