Cairns real estate: Five-storey proposal for northern beaches suburb

Plans for two five-storey retirement towers on Cairns’ northern beaches are under fire by residents. HAVE YOUR SAY

PLANS for two five-storey retirement towers at Clifton Beach are under fire by residents.

St John’s Community Care has applied to build the centre on two parcels of beachfront land at Arlington Esplanade in Clifton Beach.

The proposal encompasses two separate towers with a maximum height of 17.265m and 32 two-bedroom units.

The ground floor would include an on-site manager’s residence, areas for call-in services such as allied health and hairdressing, a communal recreation area fronting Arlington Esplanade, comprising a dining area, swimming pool, outdoor lounge and gym and barbecue area.

St John's Community Care is seeking to build a five-storey retirement facility with 32 two-bedroom units at 89-91 Arlington Esplanade, Clifton Beach. Pictured is an artist's impression of the facility, which would adjoin an existing four-storey building. Picture: supplied.

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The two vacant blocks at 89-91 Arlington Esplanade comprise a total of 2160sq m but the buildings would only cover 1010sq m or 47 per cent of the land, the development application stated.

It said the modern design was intended to “provide a benchmark for tropical design”.

There is a four-storey residential building adjoining the land.

Various building approvals have been in place on the site since 2008 with the most recent lapsing in 2019.

In 2017 an application over land including the two blocks for 109 units over eight or nine storeys and a cafe resulted in massive community backlash and it was knocked back by council.

But Clifton Sands Holiday Apartments owner Linda St Quintin said developments over four storeys were unacceptable, as they clashed with what tourists and visitors wanted for the community.

“The limit on four storeys has been in place for many years because it lines up with the height of the palm trees … but people get greedy,” she said.

“As a tourism operator I know what people want. They’re not coming here for high-rises or monstrous concrete jungles.

“I have no problem with a retirement complex. I would say the large majority of Clifton Beach residents are retirees, but I don’t see why it has to be five storeys.”

St John's Community Care is seeking to build a five-storey retirement facility with 32 two-bedroom units at 89-91 Arlington Esplanade, Clifton Beach. The two blocks are marked in blue. Picture: supplied.

“The design has sought to maintain suitable setbacks, carparking and character to be in keeping with the locality and residents’ expectations,” the report states.

“This project will seek to establish a new aged care facility that will seek to enhance the independence and quality of life of the elderly through providing flexible, responsive, planned and an individualised package of services to enable them to remain living independently.”

St Johns Community Care is a not-for-profit organisation.

Originally published as Cairns real estate: Five-storey proposal for northern beaches suburb