Joint reports to be filed in bid to retain Sheraton in Hervey Bay

A court ruling on whether the Fraser Coast council was right to approve an 18-storey Hervey Bay beachfront resort is a step closer after fresh orders were made.

Concept designs for the new Sheraton Resort in Hervey Bay.

The wait to see if the Fraser Coast council’s decision to approve an 18-storey high-rise on Hervey Bay’s Esplanade will withstand a court appeal continues.

It comes after joint orders for expert advice were made at a recent hearing.

The planned Sheraton resort, which includes a six-level hotel and 12 storeys of residential apartments, was given a green, albeit controversial, tick after it won a slim 6-5 council vote on July 24, 2024.

It will feature a mix of residential, resort, retail and luxury entertainment options, including 340 private apartments in addition to more than 200 hotel rooms, a business lounge, fitness centre, international standard, 400-seat function and conference space and a destination rooftop bar overlooking the Bay.

An artist's impression of the proposed Hervey Bay Sheraton.

Plans for the development were partially halted only three weeks after the initial council approval when the Wildlife Preservation Association of Queensland asked the Planning and Environment Court to overturn the original decision, claiming the 18-storey building would harm native wildlife such as birds and turtles.

The notice of appeal from the association was handed to the courts on September 16, 2024.

In February, Sunny Beach Land Director Dan Cuda said plans had “not changed to deliver a world-class, five-star resort and apartments project for Hervey Bay that were approved by the council”.

In the latest hearing, Judge Michael Williamson KC on May 27 said multiple joint reports would need to be filed over the next two months to push the matter forward.

These reports would include experts nominated by both parties to find areas of agreement or compromise, and the reasoning behind any disagreement.

He ordered ecology reports to be prepared by August 13, with the reports including the opinion of experts about the wildlife issues in dispute, while a report for the economic need of the towers was also ordered by July 25.

Concept designs for the new Sheraton Resort in Hervey Bay.

Other reports needed before October include one for visual amenities and architecture, cultural heritage, and town planning.

Judge Williamson also ordered Sunny Beach Land to provide the wildlife association with photomontages of the proposed development by July 11.

Both parties were instructed to meet and deliberate with each other chaired by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Registrar before August 15

The case will be set for another review on August 22.

Originally published as Joint reports to be filed in bid to retain Sheraton in Hervey Bay