No more: Environmental concerns over $200m project
A $200 million highrise development approved 11 years ago must be the last project of its size and scale, says the Coast’s peak environmental body
Sunshine Coast
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A $200 million highrise development approved 11 years ago for Pelican Waters must be the last project for the suburb, says the Sunshine Coast Environment Council.
An application was put into Sunshine Coast Council last month by Henzell Property Group which sparked concerns by the region's peak environmental body.
Sunshine Coast Environment Council spokeswoman Narelle McCarthy said because the project was built on low-lying land, it continues to be at odds with climate science and contemporary planning.
FULL SCOPE OF 221-UNIT, $200M DEVELOPMENT REVEALED
She said in order to "protect people and property from hazards and risk similar developments of this size and scale can set a dangerous precedence".
Developer McLean Henzell defended the project, saying it "complies with or exceeds all performance outcomes set out in the benchmarks".
The development is code assessable, not impact, forcing Ms McCarthy to stress that it must meet the acceptable outcomes with appropriate conditions and not waver from these.
"We are seeing too many examples of the cumulative impacts and effects of code-assessed developments not meeting and delivering on the necessary acceptable outcomes," Ms McCarthy said.
"Instead, performance outcomes are often used, usually with conditions, resulting in a vastly different and often poorer outcome than what was envisaged in the planning instruments or by the community.
"This can and does negatively impact on the amenity and environment of a locality, particularly in the case of high-density developments.
"They (Henzells) have had their approvals since 2009, which they need to consistently comply with and be held accountable for.
"SCEC has been concerned about incidences of poor environmental management of the development in the past."
Mr Henzell said the project aimed to not only meet the expectations of the local community, council and future residents but to well exceed these in creating a destination of distinction.
"The densities likely to be achieved within the Pelican Waters masterplan are significantly less than those originally targeted," Mr Henzell said.
"The Cove will obtain EnviroDevelopment certification and will be required to comply with energy efficiency provisions in the National Construction Code."
Mr Henzell said the site had been filled by the land developer of the masterplan to achieve flood immunity.
Henzell Property Group has also commissioned a geotechnical engineer to prepare an acid sulfate soils management plan.
"This plan provides strategies for the treatment of acid sulfate soils to ensure that these soils will not have adverse effects," he said.
"Our basement depths are deliberately limited to reduce the extent of excavation.
"Semi-basements are proposed which protrude out of ground level by up to 1.2m."
Ms McCarthy acknowledged that Henzells had made "real improvements" in recent times
"So we are keen to see this continue along with meeting necessary conditions and environmental obligations," she said.
She said the environmental disaster which had distressing impacts on local mobs of kangaroos and wholesale loss of habitat for wildlife at the neighbouring Southern Lakes development must not be repeated.
"This development should absolutely be the last of its type in the region," she said.
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