Turtle experts give evidence in Sekisui hearing

A lighting expert rebutted fears Sekisui’s lighting would have a detrimental impact on an endangered loggerhead turtle population.

Leigh Warneminde with first loggerhead turtles nest of the season on Maroochy River Nothe Shore identified and fox controled measures put in place-tracks still on sand as well as fox tracks.Photo Patrick Woods / Sunshine Coast Daily

A LIGHTING expert has rebutted fears Sekisui's lighting would have a detrimental impact on Yaroomba's loggerhead turtle population.

Coolum and North Shore Coast Care president Leigh Warneminde lives 500m from the development site, and said she had spent the last 18 years recording nesting-turtle data with the volunteer group.

Ms Warneminde was one of two witnesses Sunshine Coast Environment Council representative Narelle McCarthy called to give evidence before a Planning and Environment Court hearing to determine the development's future.

"If this development goes ahead at the current height proposed, other developments in the area can go ahead with the same thing," Ms Warneminde said, referring to the proposed seven-storey Westin Hotel.

Ms Warneminde said a ruling in favour of the developer would set a "legal precedent", and ultimately could lead to cumulative light pollution from Sekisui and future developments.

In her experience, she said lighting had deterred nesting turtles and disorientated hatchlings on their way to the ocean.

Fellow volunteer, Mount Coolum resident Sherida Holford, said she believed direct light would impact on the dark and "ideal turtle nesting site".

Sunshine Coast Council's expert, lighting design engineer Paul King, said after extensive joint research he believed the development would not cause an "adverse impact on the marine environment with respect to lighting".

Mr King said the dune between the site and beach was a natural barrier, the building was not visible on the beach and up to 100m offshore.

He said any "sky glow" could be minimised by lighting and screening, but to prevent it completely would mean "no development".

He said any impact could be mitigated with conditions such as lighting colour, downwards-facing fixtures, tinted roofing over the "rooftop bar" and using dark outdoor surfaces to reduce light bounce back on surfaces. He said the developer could also install more screening, such as trees.

Ms McCarthy questioned how those development lighting controls would apply to the 740 dwellings and how they would be enforced once an estimated 2000 people lived there.

Mr King said the body corporate could enforce conditions on people how people used the apartments.

Members of the gallery scoffed when Mr King said it was "his experience" that people took "good care of the environment".

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