Pinecrest development: Cairns council decision on Mount Peter housing subdivision

A sardine tin manifesto could jeopardise one of the city’s most ambitious housing projects right when the economy needs it. HAVE YOUR SAY

A SARDINE tin manifesto could jeopardise one of the city’s most ambitious housing projects right when the economy needs it most.

Pinecrest developer Frederik Kroymans wants to build a potential 1500-lot subdivision at Mount Peter with average lots ranging from about 600sq m to 1600sq m.

The big-yard philosophy contradicts Cairns Regional Council’s push for higher-density development in the southern growth corridor, a nuance that could lead to its demise.

The first 31 lots are set to go before a council meeting on Wednesday with officers recommending a “preliminary approval” that a developer eager to start work immediately would consider an effective rejection.

Robert Wheeler from Cardno and Ben Johnston from the Property Shop at Cooper Rd in Mount Peter where a potential 1500-lot residential estate has been flagged. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

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The application maps out an 826-lot overall plan with further stages expected to be added as more land is acquired.

A report before Wednesday’s meeting states an extra 379 homes must be packed in to achieve the target yield of 1205 dwellings.

The change would reduce the average lot size from 797sq m to 546sq m.

“This is considered paramount in assessing the proposal given Mount Peter is, along with Edmonton and Gordonvale, part of the southern growth corridor accommodating the majority of the residential urban growth into the region’s future,” the document says.

Officers have also called for a condition stating the subdivision must be serviced by a new Mount Peter reservoir, not planned to be built for another six years.

This comes despite the developer’s insistence the first two stages could be serviced by a simple pipeline and pump — infrastructure that Mulgrave MP Curtis Pitt says would be ripe for state government funding if the council applies.

The project is hanging on Wednesday’s decision, and so is the entry of a serious new competitor in the Cairns residential development stakes.

Property Shop Cairns sales and marketing director Ben Johnston said a variety of bigger and smaller lots was chosen because buyers did not want to live in a neighbourhood where boats and trailers blotted out every second front lawn.

“We’ve already received a vast number of inquiries from people wanting these lots, just out of the first news article about it,” he said.

Cardno Cairns branch manager Robert Wheeler said he had provided the council with a structure that demonstrated the project was compliant on population yield and water issues.

The Cooper Rd site in Mount Peter earmarked for Pinecrest. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

“Here we are with a developer who has $10 million to spend right now to start construction on a $500 million project,” he said.

“It’s just sitting and waiting.”

The construction industry is excited about the development and the jobs it would entail.

However, Master Builders Far North regional manager Sharon Vella suggested an increase in lot density might not be such a bad thing.

She said the developer could get creative with duplexes, villas and other higher-density arrangements to increase yield without sacrificing too many big yards.

The potential for a retirement village within the footprint could also be explored.

“The fact that they want to open this to every builder in Cairns to build on their own terms and conditions is really positive,” she said.

“Some people might want to live there but don’t necessarily want to spend the whole day on a mower.

“I think they’re better off having an offering with smaller blocks as well as larger ones.

“Also, being on a hill, you would earmark the ones with better views to be the larger ones.”

What do you think? Have your say below.

Originally published as Pinecrest development: Cairns council decision on Mount Peter housing subdivision