How Stockland plans to beat Twin Waters West refusal
Developer Stockland has laid out how it will fight a Sunshine Coast Council decision to refuse its controversial Twin Waters West development.
Sunshine Coast
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Developer Stockland has laid out how it will fight a Sunshine Coast Council decision to refuse its controversial Twin Waters West development.
On Thursday it lodged appeal documents in the Planning and Environment Court seeking the refusal be set aside and instead its bid for approval at the 104ha parcel of Pacific Paradise land be granted.
Sunshine Coast councillors voted on July 23 to refuse Stockland's application after Cr Jason O'Pray moved the council go against the advice of its planning department to approve the development.
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He and fellow councillors Ted Hungerford, Rick Baberowski, Maria Suarez, David Law, Christian Dickson, Winston Johnston and Joe Natoli voted for refusal while councillors Peter Cox and Terry Landsberg voted against the motion.
Mayor Mark Jamieson did not take part in the discussion or vote after leaving the room over a perceived conflict of interest.
Stockland's application was two-pronged, seeking approval for a variation to the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 as well as a development permit to reconfigure four lots into 182 lots to be developed over two stages, as well as new roads, parks and the balance of the site for future development, subject to further applications.
It lodged the application in December 2018 after Sunshine Coast Council approved a change to its planning scheme in March 2018 which paved the way for the application.
Stockland noted in its appeal the land was within the urban footprint defined by the State Government as well as within the urban growth management boundary, urban area land use category and the Sunshine Coast enterprise corridor defined by the council.
The appeal document said the development would respond to a planning need identified by the council when it made the planning scheme amendment in March 2018.
It also said the proposed development was consistent with and sympathetic to the character of the adjoining Twin Waters estate, was on land that could be developed without unacceptable external impacts and was close to employment hubs including Maroochydore.
"(The project) will facilitate development which will efficiently utilise (otherwise unused) land that has been identified in the planning scheme as suitable for residential use," the appeal read.
Stockland also noted the development would provide a mix of housing options and was in the public interest.
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesman said the council would review the appeal and would continue to defend the council's position to refuse the application in accordance with the Planning Act 2016 and other related legislation.
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