Developer steps up fight for new boutique hotel

The developers behind a Coast project similar to The Farm at Byron Bay are ready to fight to get their family-friendly hotel approved.

Comiskey Group director Rob Comiskey will appear in the planning and environment court over the group's application to build a family friendly licensed venue at Doonan, which was knocked back by Sunshine Coast Council.

The developers behind a Coast project similar to The Farm at Byron Bay are ready to fight to get their family-friendly hotel approved.

 

Comiskey Group, the family firm behind projects like the Eatons Hill and Sandstone Point taverns, have been trying to develop a "family-friendly" hotel at Doonan since lodging an application to Sunshine Coast Council in September 2018.

Director Rob Comiskey said he was surprised when the application was refused by the council in May last year but was looking forward to pleading his case in the planning and environment court.

A hearing has been set for September 7 and is expected to go for four days.

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"Oh, it's been years, I couldn't tell you how long," Mr Comiskey said.

"We expected to get an approval.

"We were well and truly surprised."

The application for the boutique venue came with a commercial license, paddock-to-plate restaurant and cellar door concepts.

He said he took inspiration from The Grounds of Alexandria in Sydney and The Farm Byron Bay.

"It's totally different to anything we have ever done and nothing like anything on the Sunshine Coast or surrounds," he said.

 

Comiskey Group's Rob Comiskey at the soon Eatons Hill Hotel accommodation which opened in 2017.

Submissions for the proposal had been "overwhelmingly" in favour of the development, with five of the 142 against it.

Mr Comiskey expressed his frustration at those against, and claimed those submissions had been made by people not within the Doonan area.

He said three of the six disciplines had already settled with town planning, flooding and need to be debated in court next month.

"When you look at the submissions, it has overwhelming support," he said.

"It's a shame it's come to this."

Mr Comiskey said should the proposal be approved the group would start the design process straight away.

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