Woody Point Action Group is not giving up on its battle to stop a 45m tall unit tower

It sounds like a spin-off of the Aussie classic The Castle – only instead of trying to save a home these residents are fighting to stop a 45m tall unit tower being built – without a lawyer and the $8000 needed for the court costs.

Derek Catterall and Woody Point Action Group members at the proposed site of the Traders in Purple development. PHOTO: AAP/Richard Walker

Despite being down on funds and not having a lawyer this action group is still hopeful it can topple a developer’s plan to build a 45m tall unit tower in their suburb.

Woody Point Action Group launched an appeal against Traders In Purple’s plan to build a 15 storey high-rise at 2 Gayundah Esplanade – the site of the former Palace Hotel, in January.

The development is proposed to include 158 units and 13 two-bedroom townhouses.

WPAG president Derek Catterall said residents had issues with the sheer height of the building – which will be more than double the height recommended in the Moreton Bay Regional Council Planning Scheme.

But the extreme height and 145 objections submitted by residents did not stop the council approving the development last year.

Mediation between the two parties failed and the Planning and Environment Court is expected to hand down the date for a hearing in July on Wednesday.

Mr Catterall said they had tried to reach a compromise.

A concept image of the 45m tall tower Traders in Purple hope to build at Woody Point. Picture: PD Online/Rothelowman.

“But Traders in Purple have the money, experts and legal representation to fight us,” he said.

Mr Catterall said the group would have had to find $12,000 to hire legal representation – money they don’t have.

“We have hired a town planner but we are self representing, which is not easy,” he said.

“We are square at the moment but we need another $8000 to cover the court costs.”

While the group had previously held fundraisers to cover the costs the coronavirus pandemic had made this difficult.

Group members are pulling all nighters, after working their normal jobs, pulling together statements and other material for the court battle.

“This is not just one or two residents who don’t want this development, it is the whole community,” Mr Catterall said.

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The site at 2 Gayundah Esplanade was once home to The Palace Hotel. PHOTO: AAP/Richard Walker

“At the end of the day we are committed to this and if we fail we will be stuck with the big white elephant.”

Mr Catterall said it was important people understood the action group was not against development.

“We are happy for development to go ahead in the region to create jobs and opportunities as long as they are not excessively high and damage our coastal lifestyle,” he said.

In fact Mr Catterall would be happy for Traders in Purple to build the development first approved by council at the site, a 27m tall unit complex, which is still 6m higher than the height recommended in the planning scheme.

“We are doing this to save Woody Point,” he said.

“We love it, Woody Point Village is precious and we need to stand up and start protecting it, we do not want another Gold Coast.”

This is not the only battle Woody Point Action Group are fighting.

They recently celebrated a small win after a developer withdrew an application to build a 44m tall tower at 1 Lila St, directly opposite the Traders in Purple site.

WPAG have also asked the new council to establish a Woody Point neighbourhood plan to stop any more development applications like this being approved.

For more information WPAG search Woody Point Action Group on Facebook.