Sunshine Coast Council reveals plans to fast track Palisade Investment’s airport development

Questions have been raised about Sunshine Coast Council’s plans to fast-track development at the airport and avoid approval process delays and third-party appeals.

A key community group has raised concern with Sunshine Coast Council’s plan to fast-track Palisade Investment’s airport development with less risk of legal challenges.

Councillors will on Monday decide whether they should hand development approval processes at the Sunshine Coast Airport over to the state government.

It comes after increasing tensions between the council and general aviation operators around future development at the airport.

A council report said airport operator Palisade was “reluctant” to make significant financial investments under the current arrangement with the local planning scheme in place.

It said Palisade and the council believed declaring the airport as a Priority Development Area – under the state government – would provide “greater certainty and confidence” for development.

Sunshine Coast Airport.

The report said the declaration would also fast track development and reduce the risk of legal challenges from third-party appeals.

Organisation Sunshine Coast Association of Residents president Melva Hobson urged the council to defer the decision to allow for community consolation or reject the officer’s recommendation.

Ms Hobson wrote to the CEO and individual councillors on behalf of OSCAR, Marcoola Community Group, Seaside Shores Community Association and Sunshine Coast Environmental Council.

“Why is there such a rush to put this proposal to council and only allowing a few days for the community to make any response,” she asked.

She also questioned why a temporary local planning instrument could not be used – which would allow for appeals – or if airport development could be considered as part of the new planning scheme which was currently under consideration.

“Is it the fact that there are no third party appeal rights under a PDA that is attractive to Palisade investment Partners and Council,” Ms Hobson said.

“The Sunshine Coast Airport is a community asset and we ask why (the council) wants to lose control of this asset and particularly without any community consultation.”

Ms Hobson said the airport master plan was “contentious” and received significant community opposition because of a lack of detail.

Timing could be crucial with the council expected to receive the final $305m payment from Palisade by July for the airport runway construction costs.

That payment would slash the council’s debt by almost a quarter.

The report said handing the approval process to the state government would address the council’s conflict of interest with development, as the owner of the airport land.

The council also received five per cent of gross revenue from airport operations.

“The effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism industry and airport operations has emphasised the importance of SCA Pty Ltd pursuing supplementary revenue streams consistent with its master plan and aligned with the commercial partner’s investment plans,” the council document said.

“Dealing with this development under the planning scheme offers little certainty that all requisite approvals would be in place in a timely manner to facilitate investment and enable construction in the near future.”

The report noted Palisade was keen to develop the airport in line with its 2040 master plan.

Some of the main priorities were to establish a freight and logistics facility and food and manufacturing hubs to increase export opportunities.

The approach would be similar to the council’s arrangement with Maroochydore City Centre which was declared as a Priority Development Area to avoid conflicts of interest involving the council wanting to maximise commercial performance of the development.

If approved planning and development assessment approval decisions would be made by Economic Development Queensland – and there would be no third-party appeal rights.

The vote will take place at a special council meeting on Monday.