Airlie Beach's town plan reaches new heights

At yesterday's council meeting all but one of the region's elected representatives voted to receive an analysis report into submissions made on the latest draft

Troy Holloway, Ian McIlveen, Gloria Cheung, Davis Liu, Brett Morgan, Cathy Russell, Jenni Mahood, Petrit, Julie, Lindon and Lindita Istogu, Nigel Pemberton, Bill and Jenny Kellaris, Clay Bauman, Jonathan Peter and Corrie Gardner, are determined to protect the viewing corridors of Airlie Beach. Photo Sharon Smallwood / Whitsunday Times. Picture: Sharon Smallwood

YOU can't please everyone all of the time.

But when it comes to the town plan, Whitsunday Regional Councillors believe they have tried.

At yesterday's council meeting - the last for the year - all but one of the region's elected representatives voted to receive an analysis report into submissions made on the latest draft.

Only Division 1 councillor Jan Clifford voted against receiving the report - a step that now allows council to send it to the minister for a final state interest review.

If approved council will be able to adopt the draft planning scheme mid-2017.　

The Whitsunday Regional Council zoning map for Airlie Beach.

Cr Clifford tried to move an amendment that building heights in the mixed use zone around Broadwater Avenue should remain at nine metres instead of being raised.

She was unable to speak to her motion due to the lack of a seconder.

But Cr Clifford wasn't the only one unhappy with the prospect of 12-metre building heights in this zone.

Airlie Crescent resident Bill Kellaris said locals had previously fought an application for raised heights in 2008 and were successful in achieving a commitment to the nine metre maximums they wanted to maintain.

He said raising heights in this precinct wasn't just about looking after locals or being anti-development, but also catering to the visitors to town who flocked to the Airlie crescent lookout in droves.

"And it's the publicity we get (from this) that doesn't cost us anything," he said.

"People come up here and photograph (the view) daily and they are advertising us for free."

Troy Holloway who also lives in this neighbourhood agreed, saying in his opinion raising heights in this particular zone would mean properties de-valued and the loss of a major asset.

"We (the ratepayers) own that $3 million Airlie Beach lookout - and it's a tourist asset we're looking down the barrel of losing," he said.

"If this was Port Douglas, or Noosa, or Byron bay and you had a look-out down the main street and with water views, they would never let this happen."

Mayor Andrew Willcox however said council was now satisfied the draft planning scheme adequately balanced interests in the region.

"It seeks to provide appropriate zoning and the guidelines to facilitate job creation, cut red tape and improve the way our region accommodates those people who move to the Whitsundays. Progress is happening and it is our responsibility to make sure we are prepared for the future economic growth of our region and remain proactive as opportunities present," he said.

Cr Willcox said council was happy with the community feedback having received 693 submissions in 2015 and only 128 in 2016.

The key topics from these submissions included building heights in Airlie Beach that were both opposed and supported; objections to growth in Airlie Beach; objections to low-medium residential zone minimum lot size; re-zoning requests and recommendations for future design elements to be incorporated into a future Airlie Beach Local Plan.

The　submissions have also triggered several new investigations into reducing red tape for renewable energy facilities, increasing flexibility for tourism development, rural residential minimum lot size impacts, bed and breakfast policy investigation, Bowen Local Planning Investigation, several re-zoning requests and a revised Airlie Beach Local Plan.