Stockland’s controversial Twin Waters West plan up for council vote

A controversial Sunshine Coast housing plan is up for a crucial council vote, with staff giving it a conditional tick as they acknowledge more than $11m in charges and funds on the table.

Plans for the Twin Waters West development have been released by Stockland.

A controversial housing plan on a flood plain has been given the tick of approval by Sunshine Coast Council staff but the developer must build an evacuation centre and provide $7.8m in infrastructure charges and $3.8m to maintain a proposed lake.

Stockland submitted its third proposal for a 104ha, 450-home housing development in Pacific Paradise, dubbed Twin Waters West, in May, 2023.

The latest proposal followed a Planning and Environment Court dismissal of the developer’s appeal on a prior council rejection of the development plan.

The site borders the Sunshine Mwy to the west and the existing Twin Waters residential development to the east.

Sunshine Coast Council staff has recommended application approval, with 100 conditions, with councillors to vote at the December 14 council meeting.

In meeting notes, council staff outlined that the council would receive about $7.8m in infrastructure charges if the development was built and more infrastructure charges would apply for commercial and community use of the site.

An artist impression of the Twin Waters West development.

The council would also receive a sinking fund contribution of about $3.8m if the development goes ahead, which would cover the cost of maintaining a proposed lake onsite for 80 years.

Meeting notes stated the approval would include an extension of the coastal pathway, more than 30ha of open space, a 50m wetland buffer and ecological corridor linking the wetland to the Maroochy River foreshore conservation area, and a wildlife conservation area.

The site for the Twin Waters West plan.

Conditions include that the development requires an evacuation centre that could cater for more than 580 people for five days, building heights must not exceed 8.5m and that it must not exceed 450 residential lots.

The residential lots must also have a minimum size of 500sq m and an average minimum size of 700sq m.

This is the third time plans for Twin Waters West have gone before Sunshine Coast Council.

The council notes also stated that without “suitable intervention”, the proposed lake could allow saline intrusion into the groundwater and affect the wetlands in and near the site.

The developer has proposed a “freshwater curtin” between the lake and the wetland using treated stormwater from the development.

A flood model for the site has also been accepted by the council staff.

Protest signs around Twin Waters West in years gone by.

“Any increases in flooding on external properties is very minor and considered acceptable,” the meeting notes stated.

“These impacts can be further reduced or eliminated through detailed design and modelling.”

Twin Waters West and Surrounds Inc president Kathryn Hyman said there was opposition to the plan.

“There are offsite flood impacts, there are buffer issues, there are surface waters flowing into the conservation park causing issues,” she said.

Ms Hyman said the application “doesn’t work, the engineering doesn’t work”.

The state government’s Department of Environment has also raised concerns regarding stormwater run-off into the adjacent conservation park.

Sunshine Coast area principal ranger Mark Patenaude said the conservation park was habitat to endangered, vulnerable and rare species.

“Queensland Parks and Wildlife would object to any additional stormwater entering the conservation park pre-construction and/or post-construction,” he stated in a submission.

“The expectation would be that there was no worsening effect upon the conservation park from the discharge of stormwater from this development.”

His was one of 399 public submissions received about the plan, with 370 deemed “properly made” — 255 in support and 130 against.

A Stockland spokeswoman said the new development application encompassed the court’s outcomes, and the proposal was consistent with the character and amenity of the adjoining Twin Waters community.

“The new masterplan incorporates the input of many stakeholders and aligns with the Sunshine Coast Council planning scheme,” she said.

“We have received strong community support, which has been identified through the application process including the public notification phase.

“The proposal seeks to protect the central wetland including establishing a 50-metre buffer on site; construct a 13ha lake; and establish an average lot size of 700sq m, reflecting the features and characteristics of the local area.”

Division eight Councillor Jason O’Pray said he was doorknocking the area.

“I’m out... talking with people of the Northshore, finding out exactly what the community thinks before the vote on Thursday,” he said.

Originally published as Stockland’s controversial Twin Waters West plan up for council vote