Cairns Regional Council extends public submission period for high rise Palm Cove development by three months
Cairns Regional Council says a controversial development application “represents a continued investment in the tourism offer” but has taken an unusual step in the application process.
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A well-orchestrated campaign against a proposed six-storey resort has resulted in Cairns Regional Council being deluged with objections, prompting it to extend the public notification period to July 31.
The initial public notification period – during which people can make submissions – was from March 13 to April 4 and hundreds of objections flooded in.
On April 21, council asked the developer for the July 31 deadline, saying council officers needed more time to consider public issues, and the developer agreed.
After almost three years of silence, Palm Cove Nominees unveiled spectacular plans for part of the 3.85ha site at 33-41 Cedar Rd – but they’ve scaled back an eight-storey resort with a height of 28m to a six storey resort with a height of 20m.
Objections have come from residents of Kewarra Beach, Smithfield, Trinity Beach, Clifton Beach and Redlynch as well as many from southern capital cities with protesters owning property at Palm Cove.
Residents including Cynthia and Chris Cole quickly mobilised, creating a two-page pro forma objection that hundreds have signed and submitted.
“The proposed development, comprising a six storey hotel, conference complex, two restaurants, a retail precinct, gym, five two storey villas and seven three storey apartment buildings is plainly the kind of development that council’s rules forbid,” the document states.
“Planning submissions are not a matter of bargaining with council like negotiating with a used car salesperson.
“The proposed development brings significant, irrevocable and permanent impacts to the character, amenity and uniqueness of Palm Cove, its village nature and its visually beautiful, tree covered low rise buildings,” it states.
“Residents, visitors and tourists are sick and tired of council allowing this development to progress, stop and then re-progress again.”
It says despite thousands of objections, the proposal has stayed in the system “in one guise or another”.
Council has granted the developer nine extensions of time.
Council planning director Ed Johnson said 8.5m and two storeys for the site was the “acceptable outcome” – an established method to achieve compliance under the code.
But he said under the Planning Act 2016, if a development didn’t strictly meet the acceptable outcome, applicants were able to put forward alternatives “that achieve the overall intention of the code”.
Mr Johnson said alternatives were assessed against “performance outcomes” – a broader assessment against merits.
“This is opposed to a one size fits all approach,” he said.
Land in the Environmental Management zone within Palm Cove has a corresponding performance outcome of “the height of all buildings and structures is in keeping with the natural characteristics of the site. Buildings and structures are low rise and not unduly visible from external sites”.
“There is no definitive limit on building height in Palm Cove in the planning scheme,” Mr Johnson said.
“Resorts and apartments are part of the identity of Palm Cove and the application represents a continued investment in the tourism offer of the area.”
The developer was contacted for comment.
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Originally published as Cairns Regional Council extends public submission period for high rise Palm Cove development by three months