Building height increase vision for 120 Coast facilities
'VERTICAL residential care' and multi-storey school buildings could become common to the Sunshine Coast landscape.
Sunshine Coast
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"VERTICAL residential care” and multi-storey school buildings could reshape the Sunshine Coast landscape.
The Sunshine Coast Council has proposed a swathe of amendments to the Planning Scheme 2014 with a proposal to increase the building heights of 120 residential care, retirement and aged care facilities.
Three of the 47 aged care facilities are either under construction or subject to council approval.
Explanatory notes on the latest amendments indicate the new maximums, in some cases near double the 8.5m maximum, would cater to the "majority of the type of facilities likely to be developed.
It also states new 12m and 15m maximums would "increase housing supply and diversity within this sector”.
Multi-storey retirement living has already shot up on the Sunshine Coast with the recently-developed eight-storey, $63 million Stockland Birtinya Retirement Village a reflection of "vertical living”.
It stands near double the proposed maximum height increases, standing 29m above ground.
Retirement and residential care facilities subject to the proposed amendments span the Glasshouse Mountains, Caloundra, Little Mountain, Dicky Beach, Pelican Waters, Currimundi, Meridan Plains, Warana, Alexandra Headland, Maleny, Mooloolah Valley, Palmwoods, Buderim, Sippy Downs, Kuluin, Maroochydore, Mount Coolum, Twin Waters, Pacific Paradise, Bli Bli, Coolum Beach, Nambour and Rosemount.
Of the 47 sites, 14 could potentially be allowed to build to 15m and a further 33 to 12m.
New building heights to accommodate a "range of modern classrooms”, plus multi-function halls, indoor stadiums and auditoriums are also proposed for 73 private and public educational facilities.
Council concluded a maximum 12m height was required, and in some circumstances up to 14m, but documents show some could build to 15m.
Mooloolaba TAFE is the exception which could potentially increase from a maximum 16m to 18m.
Among the schools is Nambour Christian College, which has expressed plans to make alterations and add to the existing building on the subject land for student boarding accommodation.
A number of residential and retirement facilities are under construction or waiting council approval.
A two-storey, 108-bed residential aged care facility, including 17-bed memory support unit is proposed for a large, vacant block neighbouring the Pacific Paradise Primary School, according to a development application before council.
The property at 26-40 Menzies Dr, Pacific Paradise sold for more than $3 million in June 2016 to United Properties Pty Ltd and Golden Sun Holdings Pty Ltd.
Development is underway at the Churches of Christ Integrated Community Facility on Tallowood Close and 211 Parklands Boulevard, Little Mountain.
Council approved the development application last year and construction began in March with an expected completion late 2018.
The Churches of Christ Website indicates they are awaiting council approval on a cafe, place of worship, hairdressing salon and were approved for a pool at the $32 million development.
Caloundra Retirement Community have a pending application for a 276 independent home retirement community and 120-bed aged care facility at Caloundra and Westaway roads, Little Mountain.
The latest amendments are available on the Sunshine Coast Council website and are open for public consultation until 4.30pm on Friday, 7 September 2018
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