Sunshine Coast aerial images reveal decade of housing growth

Amazing aerial images reveal a decade of change in Sunshine Coast suburbs as key players weigh in on how 160,000 new residents will be housed by 2041. USE THE INTERACTIVES

Just two examples of how suburbs on the Sunshine Coast have changed between 2013 and 2023. Pictures: Nearmap

As the Sunshine Coast mayor seeks a meeting with the federal environment minister over a controversial development plan, exclusive images have revealed the transformation of the Sunshine Coast over the past decade.

As of 2021, according to the Bureau of Statistics, the Sunshine Coast population was more than 342,000.

The Sunshine Coast Council states that number is forecast to grow to more than 500,000 people by 2041.

Sunshine Coast aerial images reveal decade of development

As the discussion continues into housing on the Sunshine Coast, see how much housing has changed suburbs over the past decade:

Now an urban planning expert, developers, the council and an environmental group weigh in on the complexity of providing housing to house more than 158,000 people expected to move to the Sunshine Coast by 2041.

Halls Creek

The Sunshine Coast Council has opposed Stockland’s plans for a new housing estate, Aura South, on land the developer owns at Halls Creek.

Stockland has applied for independent environmental approval from the federal government for its 1230ha of former pine land.

The Caloundra South community, including the new suburb of Nirimba, will eventually be home to 50,000 people. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The mostly cleared site is adjacent to and about half the size of the developer’s Caloundra South community, which will eventually be home to 50,000 people.

The Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Moreton Bay councils want development elsewhere to maintain a “green corridor” between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane and to protect the Pumicestone Passage.

The Sunshine Coast Council would prefer a development at Beerwah East and Mayor Mark Jamieson has called on the state government to protect Halls Creek from future development.

Mr Jamieson said he had asked for a meeting with federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek over the development proposal.

Sunshine Coast mayor Mark Jamieson says Beerwah East will provide enough housing for the future population on the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Sam Turner

“Between Aura itself and Beerwah East, which is owned by taxpayers, there is sufficient capacity to serve us well into the future,” he said.

He said Beerwah East had access to the CAMCOS train corridor plus major roads.

Stockland, however, is pressing on with its plans and a spokeswoman for the developer said Stockland welcomed the federal government’s move to assess its application via a public environment report.

Homes under construction on the corner of Banya Av and Aura Bvd in Nirimba. Picture: Patrick Woods.

She said the federal government’s process ensured opportunities for stakeholder consultation and engagement.

Mr Jamieson said it was “disappointing” when state and federal governments overrode local governments’ development decisions.

Stockland senior environment and community development manager Mark Stephens said the Halls Creek site, which was “elevated” and “flood free”, had “limited environmental values” with more than 85 per cent of the land cleared more than 50 years ago.

Stockland begins Commonwealth environmental assessment on Aura South site. Stockland Senior Environment and Community Development Manager Mark Stephens. Picture: Renae Droop/RDW Photography

He also said the developer planned to rehabilitate 400ha of the site.

“The rehabilitation strategy is designed to improve local and regional biodiversity values and provide enhanced protections to the Pumicestone Passage and Moreton Bay RAMSAR wetlands,” he said.

The Sunshine Coast Environment Council, however, is also opposed to the Halls Creek development proposal.

The environment council’s Narelle McCarthy said that from the time of the Caloundra City Council to the current Sunshine Coast Council, the Halls Creek area had always been “explicitly excluded” from urban development as it formed a “crucial” interurban break along the region’s eastern coastal zone.

The Sunshine Coast Environment Council’s Narelle McCarthy says her organisation is opposed to the Halls Creek development proposal. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“Protecting this area was the trade-off for Caloundra South planning to go ahead,” she said.

Mr Stephens said Beerwah East and Aura South would be required to accommodate the population growth in the region.

Harmony at Palmview

Further north, Avid is developing the $3bn Harmony estate at Palmview.

The 378ha estate, of which the developer says 100ha is reserved for open space and a town centre, was launched in 2017.

Avid executive general manager Bruce Harper said the increase in the Sunshine Coast population, which was spurred on by the Covid-19 pandemic, meant Harmony blocks had sold “much faster” than anticipated.

The Harmony estate at Palmview. Picture: Contributed

He said the state government must consider the proposed estates in Halls Creek or Beerwah East now but would not comment on which he would like to see developed.

“The lead time to prepare, rezone and provide infrastructure to those projects is always longer than the government and community thinks,” Mr Harper said.

Avid Queensland general manager Anthony Demiris said in the coming months development of parkland would continue and the planning and design of the future village centre was under way.

“Upon completion, Harmony will have approximately 13,000 residents across 4800 dwellings who will call this address home,” he said.

“We currently have approximately 2300 occupied homes with 2500 dwellings left to go.”

Urban planning expert weighs in

University of Queensland urban planning associate professor Dr Dorina Pojani said that it was important to remember that any development would have an environmental impact.

She said it was important to consider what developers were “giving back” as a pay-off.

Nirimba from the air. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“Giving back can sometimes be in the form of fees or can be physical in terms of improving the environment,” Ms Pojani said.

She said, generally speaking, new developments should not go on “ecologically special areas”, where flooding occurred, or too close to the bush, which presented a fire risk.

The professor also said it was important to consider subtropical design principles, which included using fewer glass facades, light colours, relying on solar power “as much as possible” and designing homes with cross ventilation in mind.

She said having homes close together was not an issue.

“In the Mediterranean, where I’m from, the houses are all bunched up together and part of the reason is that is how you create shade,” Ms Pojani said.

She added, however, trees in new developments were essential.