Major developments making up Sunshine Coast’s concrete jungle
Increased demand for housing and accommodation is pushing development sky-high, with new buildings constantly popping up throughout the Sunshine Coast.
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With the 2032 Olympic Games in focus and an increased demand for housing and accommodation, the Sunshine Coast is seeing more development projects being executed than ever before.
Despite the mass development caused by increased demand, the developers, town planners and urban designers of the region are all working behind the scenes to ensure the identity of the Sunshine Coast is maintained.
One of the town planners who is leading the pack when it comes to considering “appropriate development” for the region is Project Urban managing director Andrew Stevens.
He said the building boom was being driven by the southern market as well as residents who already lived on the Coast choosing to stay put.
“I think we are really at a critical point with the growth of the Coast and I think the discussion taking place at the moment around mass transit is really important to ensure that appropriate development occurs,” Mr Stevens said.
“We just need to ensure that our services keep up with the growth of the population.”
The Sunshine Coast Council’s Development Indicators Report from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 presents a selection of development statistics, revealing the suburbs of Baringa and Nirimba as the highest growth areas, followed by Maroochydore, Palmview and Bokarina.
While development and building application numbers have remained largely consistent, the value of construction associated with building approvals increased by 20% to hit a record $1.91 billion in the past year.
Town planner Cameron Adams from Adams and Sparkes said the increase in development would give future generations enough job opportunities to be able to stay in their hometown for work.
“The Maroochydore town centre is going to be a game changer and I don’t think people understand what that’s going to bring to the Sunshine Coast in terms of different employment opportunities,” Mr Adams said.
“It will put Sunshine Coast on the map again, as not just a beach town but as an employment generator.”
Registered Architect and Director of Blackburne Jackson David Shields said the firm has been “absolutely flat out” since the start of the year, with a combined value of over $400m in the projects they are currently working on.
“Hopefully the announcement of the Olympic Games will help kick off some of these larger projects as the growing population is not going to be serviced by the existing community facilities,” Mr Shields said.
Take a look below at the major projects that are in the pipeline for the Sunshine Coast in the years to come:
1. MAROOCHYDORE CBD
Maroochydore’s new city centre is taking shape and according to developer SunCentral the project will deliver commercial, residential and mixed-use projects as well as public green spaces.
“The new Maroochydore CBD is expected to create more than 15,000 permanent jobs on the Sunshine Coast and inject more than $4.4bn into the local economy,” SunCentral chief executive officer John Knaggs said.
“The total construction cost of the 20-year project is estimated to be $2.1bn.”
2. HARMONY ESTATE
The Harmony estate at Palmview is set to be a “small city” and home to 18,000 residents when 2026 rolls around.
Avid general manager Bruce Harper said the estate would be almost completed and ahead of schedule because of a demand for land that significantly outweighed supply.
There will be an array of primary and a special school options and a secondary school that’s coming in 2023.
The $3bn community was launched in late 2017 on old cane and cattle farm land.
“It will be nearly completed by 2026,” Mr Harper said.
3. STOCKLAND’S AURA
Development at Stockland’s $5bn Aura community on the Sunshine Coast is tracking five years ahead of schedule with new schools, suburbs, sporting fields and the first stages of a city centre to be built by 2026.
Once completed Stockland’s Aura master planned community at Caloundra West is expected to be home to 50,000 people.
Stockland development manager Hannah Madill said it was exciting to watch the transformation as home buyers continued to seek out the highly-liveable, connected and sustainable community being created at Aura.
“The benefits of Aura‘s lifestyle, the range of affordable housing options, high-quality amenities and its family-friendly environment means that we have been fast-tracking the release of land to cater for the strong buyer interest,” Ms Madill said.
4. VERRE CALOUNDRA
A $95m residential, dining and retail development, Verre Caloundra, which is set to change the face of the Caloundra CBD has been lodged with council.
Henzell Property Group will be executing the major mixed-use development on a 6000sq m block nestled between Omrah Avenue and Bulcock Street.
The project will be delivered across three stages with the first being a 39-strong apartment complex, restaurant, and cafe worth $50m.
The second stage will be an apartment tower similar to the first while the third stage will be office space for medical or professional businesses.
5. ARIA MOOLOOLABA
A new beachfront five-star hotel and apartment project with an infinity pool overlooking the ocean at Mooloolaba has undergone a $181m Covid-inspired redesign.
The Aria Property Group lodged a minor change application to its 1 The Esplanade proposal with artist’s impressions revealing the rooftop feature proponents say will put the beachside town back on the world stage.
An economic assessment report carried out by Urbis revealed the new building would take two years to construct with up to 670 full-time equivalent jobs to be created in the peak year of construction.
Once operational it was expected the project would create 144 direct full-time equivalent jobs and 41 indirect roles.
6. AZURE FOREST GLEN
The $90m estate, Azure Forest Glen, was approved in 2015 and described at the time as a “game changer” for Forest Glen with 90 lots primed for development as well as communal parks, walking tracks and open spaces.
More than a dozen “rainforest” villas are planned to be added to the 8ha Owen Creek Road development, near Forest Glen’s town centre.
The villas would bookend the townhouse community on Palm Forest Circuit and all feature three-storeys.
An application was lodged with Sunshine Coast Council for the unit development and residents have been invited to have their say on the proposal.
7. A1 OFFICE TOWER, MAROOCHYDORE
Construction is set to start on a six-storey office tower after it was approved to be built in the Maroochydore city centre.
The state government approved the plans in August for a five-level office block that will also feature some shops on the ground level and a rooftop terrace.
The $18.8m building called A1 was designed by Cottee Parker, which was the firm to also design Foundation Place and Sunshine Coast Council’s new city hall.
8. FOUNDATION PLACE
Maroochydore CBD’s $30m Foundation Place was completed at the end of 2020.
ASX-listed and local electricity provider LPE was the first major tenant to take up the entire top floor within the city centre’s first commercial building.
Evans Long director Dirk Long said it was an exciting to have a local firm take up a tenancy in the building.
“We have loved the concept of a CBD on the Coast, have said it many times,” Mr Long said.
“The Coast needs a CBD and we are really excited to be the first cab off the rank.”
9. BEERWAH EAST
Beerwah East has been slated in the State Government‘s southeast Queensland regional plan as a major expansion area during the next 25 years.
According to the Sunshine Coast Council website, the area is tipped to have 44,000 residents occupy the area with development ready by 2027.
10. SEKISUI HOUSE
Sekisui House’s hotel and residential development at Yaroomba is a controversial billion-dollar beachside development.
Works including geotechnical testing and surveying will be completed at the site slated for a five-star resort, residential and commercial development.
The community‘s long-running fight against the development appeared to come to an end in May when Development Watch’s appeal against council’s approval of Sekisui House was rejected in a 125-page judgment.
11. THE COVE
Construction of The Cove at Pelican Waters is underway, with more than 80 per cent of the first state of waterfront apartments in the $200m community already sold.
Henzell Property Group managing director McLean Henzell said local owner-occupiers drove the majority of the sales in the first stages.
The Cove is the final instalment in the Pelican Waters community which the Henzell family has been developing for more than 30 years.
It will be developed over four stages and includes 220 apartments and terrace homes, a grocer and waterfront restaurant.
12. THE GROVE
A $70m-plus lifestyle village is hoped to trigger a wave of investment in Nambour after being green-lit for construction.
The Grove Lifestyle Highworth was ticked off by Sunshine Coast Council planners who approved the project with conditions on July 30, 2021.
Grove Partners Pty Ltd co-director Andrew Pitcher, who successfully applied for the code-assessable approval, said he was delighted to receive approval and hoped to start construction by mid-2022 with costings, estimates and detailed design work now set to begin.
The 232-homes plus manager’s residence could be developed in stages, with the process still to be determined.
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