Moloko Homes development project approved by Whitsunday Regional Council

A project in the Whitsunday region to boost housing has created debate among councillors with claims it is against “state interest”.

A project of developing land in the Whitsudnay region to create lots for building houses was approved by a majority of councillors while some said it was against “state interest”. Picture: Contributed

A project to develop land in the Whitsunday region for house lots has been approved by a majority of councillors despite claims it would be against “state interest”.

The property developer Moloko Homes applied to develop a rural piece of land into six lots that would be used for housing.

Moloko Homes director Gavin Smith said the area was in a “huge shortage of land” and the project would support the current housing crisis.

The recommendation to the Whitsunday Regional Council was initially to refuse the development application as the property located at 159 Wrights Road, Strathdickie was Class A agricultural land, and that splitting up “productive agricultural land” was deemed “against state interest”.

The report mentioned there was no analysis conducted to determine whether more “rural residential land” was needed, and whether it would bring a real solution to housing shortages.

Mr Smith said the land was not likely to ever be reused for intensive agriculture activity as the surroundings were already used as rural residences.

“There was another similar application next door that was approved not even six months ago,” he said.

Developer company Moloko Homes director Gavin Smith. Picture: Moloko Homes

Cr Gary Simpson said he acknowledged the need to protect agricultural land but said since the surrounding areas were already residential it was a “fair proposal” to develop land.

Cr Clay Bauman said he didn’t support constantly splitting agricultural land and that referring to the area as “surrounded by rural residences” was not “appropriate”.

“If council is to support this, I want the condition that only one central spine driveway go through the property,” he said referring to the initial proposal of building two driveways on the property.

Cr Jan Clifford said she found it “ridiculous” to build two driveways into the property.

“I won’t be supporting this unless that is changed,” she said.

The condition was added to the application during the meeting.

The land on Wrights Rd in Stathdickie was approved for development into six lots for constructing houses. Picture: Google Maps

A member of the community had responded to the public notification and raised the problem of floods to be possibly targeting the lot.

Whitsunday Regional Council director Warren Bunker said it would be the developer’s responsibility to “set the floor level of a house above the ground level” on land subject to flooding.

There was also concerns of degradation of rural view with addition of bitumen or concrete roads for access, as well as the increase in traffic this would create.

The land on Wrights Rd in Stathdickie was approved for development into six lots for constructing houses. Picture: Google Maps