Sunshine Coast Airport approvals handed to state government after key council vote

Sunshine Coast Council has given up its decision making role for airport projects and with it the ability for residents to object to developments. See how each councillor voted.

Residents will lose the right to officially have their say on development at Sunshine Coast Airport after a controversial council decision.

A majority of Sunshine Coast Councillors voted to hand airport approval decisions to the state government after a more than three hour debate.

An application will soon be lodged to declare the airport a Priority Development Area which removes council as the key decision maker.

While it was described as the best way to deal with the council’s conflicts of interest involving the airport, some councillors raised concern it removes residents’ right to lodge submissions or appeals.

Major projects director Debra Robinson said it would provide the airport and operator Palisade Investments “greater certainty” to deliver the $200m of upgrades planned.

Retail, short-term accommodation hotels and a freight hub feature in the airports 2040 master plan.

Deputy mayor Rick Baberowski and councillors Ted Hungerford, Winston Johnston, Jason O’Pray, Peter Cox and Terry Landsberg supported the move.

Against it were Maria Suarez, David Law, Christian Dickson and Joe Natoli.

Mayor Mark Jamieson did not attend the meeting.

Organisations Sunshine Coast Association of Residents president Melva Hobson said she was disappointed because it left residents with little opportunity to have input on the airport’s future.

OSCAR president Melva Hobson, councillors Ted Hungerford and Maria Suarez and Sunshine Coast Airport chief executive Andrew Brodie had different views on declaring the airport as a Priority Development Area.

“They didn’t see how they’ve lost control of the airport,” she said.

“The council may still be an advice agency but they won’t be making the decisions.”

She said the only opportunity residents would have to submit on the airport’s future would be during a 30-day consultation period for a development scheme.

Third party appeals are not permitted under Economic Development Queensland's Priority Development Area processes.

Mr Natoli said he would prefer the council work with the community to create a development scheme.

“What we’ve been asked here is to trade appeal rights off for certainty of development of the airport,” he said.

“At this stage we will lock away the community’s right to object and have a say.”

Ms Suarez agreed and questioned why the matter could not be resolved in a planning scheme amendment.

“The Sunshine Coast Airport needs to be able to progress however they also need to give the community and stakeholders the chance to have a say,” she said.

“I’m not convinced this is the best way.”

The Sunshine Coast Airport is likely to be declared a Priority Development Area.

Mr Hungerford said a Priority Development Area declaration was “good governance” and the best way to allow the airport to grow without the council being held back due to its conflicts of interest.

As landowner and because it receives five per cent revenue from airport operations, the council cannot make approval decisions without independent oversight.

Mr Hungerford said under the new arrangement proposed airport developments would need the council’s consent, as the landowner.

“We are essentially the community’s advocate,” he said.

Councillor O’Pray – who represents suburbs surrounding the airport – said while the loss of appeal rights was concerning a PDA was the best way forward.

Sunshine Coast Airport chief executive Andrew Brodie said the decision recognised the airport as a “significant regional asset”.

“As the key economic enabler for the wider region we have a responsibility to our community to compete with every other airport in Australia, attracting more business, driving tourism and more importantly connecting friends and family domestically and at the right time, internationally,” Mr Brodie said.

“Our plans include expanding the general aviation and commercial precinct, upgrading the terminal and to provide logistics and freight facilities to support our $800 million food and agribusiness industry.”

He said the airport would also play a significant role in the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The council was also expected to receive the final $305m payment from Palisade in July 2022 for the airport runway construction costs.

That payment would slash the council’s debt by almost a quarter.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Airport approvals handed to state government after key council vote