Living Choice Australia reveals latest plans for Sunshine Cove

Plans have been revealed for a 128-unit development at Sunshine Cove, near Maroochydore, as the company behind it justifies exceeding density limits. READ WHY HERE:

A major development company has revealed its plans for a large unit complex near Maroochydore that exceeds density limits for the area.

Living Choice Australia wants to build a four-storey, 128-unit development at a prime block of former Wises Farm land which now forms part of Sunshine Cove.

The major residential and aged care company had development applications lodged with Sunshine Coast Council in April for approval for the proposed development.

The project proposed for Sunrise Dr and Sunshine Cove Way will be open to public comment because it was deemed impact assessable.

According to the application, which was lodged on the developer’s behalf by Innovative Planning Solutions, the development was scaled back from original plans.

In December, 2020 Living Choices Australia met with council planners to discuss its then plans to build a six-storey high unit complex at the site.

Living Choice Australia has revealed it wants to build 128 units on two large blocks that back onto Sunshine Cove Way.

Notes from the meeting revealed the council planners raised concern that the proposal did not meet height, density or plot ratio limits for the Wises Farm Preliminary Approval.

“This is evidence that the proposal is an overdevelopment of the site,” the council noted at the time.

“Any over height development will need to address amenity impacts on surrounding development and demonstrate an overriding community benefit.”

The new development application revealed the height had been scaled down from 21m to about 16m.

However the project still had higher density than local plans currently allowed.

The two blocks are at Sunshine Cove Way and Sunrise Dr.

Innovative Planning Solutions’ planning document submitted this month said the proposal that was discussed at the December, 2020 meeting was “similar to but significantly larger than” the new proposal.

It said the feedback was assessed and the building was reduced from six storeys to four.

The complex would have 162 resident and 32 visitor car parks.

It said while the height was still taller than the 15m allowed for the site it would have “no amenity impacts” on the surrounding area.

The project still exceeds dwelling unit factor – also known as density limits – which indicated the preferred unit density was between 26 and 108 units for the site.

Living Choice Australia has revealed it wants to build 128 units as part of its latest development at Sunshine Cove.

However the developer justified the increased unit numbers because development nearby had been lower than planned.

“The proposal for 128 units exceeds the prescribed threshold … this is consistent with the overall intended densities within this part of Sunshine Cove,” the application said.

“Precinct 6 is identified as a medium/high density area intended to accommodate a mix of residential development that reflects its transitional nature between the high density residential development to the east, and the lower density waterfront areas to the west.

“The remainder of Precinct 6 predominantly comprises low to medium density, two storey residential housing on small lots.

“Thus, from an overall precinct perspective, the anticipated residential densities that were ultimately intended for this part of Sunshine Cove under the Preliminary Approval have not been achieved to date.”

Residents will have the opportunity to submit their feedback on the development before the council makes a decision.