Charity takes on ambitious build metres from Sunshine Plaza

A national charity based on the Coast will be selling two floors of units to private buyers to fund its ambitious, "incredible” new building.

WATCH THIS SPACE: Stuart Coward says the epic project will allow STEPS to provide accommodation to graduates of the acclaimed Pathways program, the nation's first disability boarding college. Picture: Warren Lynam

A CHARITY behind the first disability boarding college in Australia is a step closer redeveloping its property at Evans St, a stone's throw to Sunshine Plaza.

Steps Group Australia's four-storey development will replace an existing one-level building, and will include office space and 15 residential units across three floors.

Managing director Carmel Crouch said the development would be funded by the sale of two upper levels of residential units.

Ms Crouch said buyers who would live in an integrated community, where people with disabilities and supported by services resided on one floor, would be suited to the upper levels.

STEPS development

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She said the proximity of the site to central Maroochydore and Sunshine Plaza would certainly help find the right buyers.

"There'll be 15 units, and we're hoping to keep one floor...that will be transition units for the students in the Pathways College," she said.

Pathways College launched in 2017, and its first cohort of six young people with disabilities learned through the two-year program to live independently.

"Our first cohort finished about two months ago, and they have all successfully transitioned into living independently," Ms Crouch said.

"We know this program works, and what we know is it gives parents absolute freedom, because they know that once they're through the college, they're going to be out there living as independent human beings."

About 13 graduates of the Caloundra-based Pathways College are envisaged to live at the centre, where staff could continue to support them while helping their transition into independence.

The charity currently coordinates its mental health, employment and disability services from three Maroochydore sites, at Duporth Ave, The Esplanade and Evans St.

"The idea was to consolidate that into one building," Ms Crouch said.

The new building will be the base for more than 100 staff, with its employment services, NDIS, Autism Treehouse and mental health program all relocating to the Evans St site.

Sunshine Coast Council last month approved STEPS's request, via town planner Project Urban, to have its future development application for the site assessed under the superseded 2016 planning scheme.

Ms Crouch said Project Urban had been "just amazing", donating time to the Evans St project and to the $1.6 million Pathways College, along with tradespeople who all volunteered labour and materials "gratis".

She said she was hopeful the "incredible" design for the building would be approved by Sunshine Coast Council, once that development application is submitted.

The charity now has six months to lodge its application.

"As with all development applications, this application will be thoroughly assessed on its individual merits and the report will be available for public reviewing once the assessment and recommendations are finalised," a council spokesperson said.

Originally published as Charity takes on ambitious build metres from Sunshine Plaza