The Sunshine Coast Council has voted overwhelmingly to start drawing up a new town plan as the region experiences “unprecedented growth and change”.
Cr Joe Natoli, who is concerned about a drive towards higher-density living, was the only dissenting vote.
A new plan will eventually shape all aspects of development on the Coast for the next decade including how to cater to an estimated population of 500,000 by 2041.
It would replace the current Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 which is due to expire in a few years.
Most councillors who spoke took pains to explain that Thursday’s vote was about agreeing to start the process which could take four years to complete.
They emphasised that extensive public consultation and community engagement would be a key focus going forward.
The new town plan would have to consider state government targets for some 53,700 dwellings built as infill (apartments, townhouses and granny flats) on the existing urban footprint and 33,700 homes on greenfield land by 2041.
Updates from the Sunshine Coast Council Ordinary Meeting follow:
Councillor Peter Cox was the first to endorse the motion, explaining that the council had a reputation for planning excellence and the challenge would be continuing that in the next decade.
Councillor Jason O’Pray said he had already been contacted by members of the community who were concerned about a “rush job” to push through a new town plan.
Cr O’Pray sought to assure that public consultation would be a significant feature of developing a fresh planning scheme.
Cr Ted Hungerford said the process would not happen overnight but would take four years.
“It’s not done in five minutes and it’s not done willy-nilly,” Cr Hungerford said.
Cr Hungerford raised issues he would like to see addressed in a future town plan including:
- Street parking in residential areas
- Lot sizes in new estates
- Narrow street widths in new estates
Cr Hungerford raised concerns about the state government’s push for 53,700 dwellings in the future to be built as infill (apartments, townhouses and second dwellings).
Cr Hungerford said he campaigned “not to become another Gold Coast” and he would adhere to that during the process of creating a future plan.
Cr Christian Dickson said people wanted to see development around key nodes, not to knock down more trees to build new estates on the fringes.
Cr Dickson said the community did not have to accept untamed growth but should have a conversation about what the region could carry.
Cr Terry Landsberg said there were increasing complaints in Caloundra about secondary dwellings and the loss of amenity as more granny flats were built.
Cr Landsberg said the pandemic may have changed people’s views about living closer together in higher density suburbs.
Councillor Joe Natoli raised several questions about how the Sunshine Coast would meet the State Government’s infill targets – that is, building apartments, townhouses and secondary dwellings on existing land.
“Do we have the right to push back and say, ‘No this is not for us’, especially if the community tell us infill is not what they want,” Cr Natoli asked.
Mr Krueger replied that town plans had to aim to align with the state government’s SEQ Regional Plan 2017 which laid out the targets.
Cr Natoli questioned if the Sunshine Coast could be forced to “blindly” go ahead and build 53,700 infill developments even without the right infrastructure in place to meet growth – which he said should be provided by the state government.
Cr Natoli said infill along any future mass transit corridor would be a direct threat to the new Maroochydore City Centre.
Cr Natoli raised concerns about his division having to bear the brunt of apartments and townhouses built as infill in the future.
He asked why new greenfield sites couldn’t have higher density housing.
Cr Maria Suarez asked how much land was left on the Sunshine Coast and was told the Coast had 18 years of land for urban expansion, 15 years supply of land for infill and more than 15 years supply of industrial land, as outlined in a land supply report in December 2019.
Cr David Law asked if the future plan would need to pay more attention to protecting lifestyle, environment and characteristics compared to the current scheme.
Cr Law said the planning scheme was ready for renewal and he would support the move.
He said community consultation over the coming years would be vital and “I hope we can engage the maximum number of people”.
Councillor Rick Baberowski said it was exciting to be able to engage with the community on such a powerful planning instrument.
Cr Baberowski said he expected the 3000 public submissions from the last planning scheme in 2014 would be dwarfed this time around, and he welcomed it.
He said the council together with the community would produce an exceptional planning scheme to preserve the values of the region.
Cr Suarez said she was comforted that the council would undertake a “hefty” consultation so people could understand and digest the detail.
She said people would welcome the chance to address “deficits” in the current planning scheme, including loss of remnant vegetation, over-concreting and parking issues.
Cr Winston Johnston said the council would have to push the state government to deliver more infrastructure for the Coast such as transport.
Cr Johnston said he had been asked over the years why we couldn’t stop people moving to the Coast.
“The reality is there is a tide of people who want to live here; we can control that tide with our town plan,” he said.
Cr Johnston said the Coast would not go down the road of more highrise buildings but said “as time goes by there is a need to change land densities in certain areas because of demand”.
He suggested houses along the Nicklin Way which had been built in the 70s were “nearing the end of their useful life” and could be redeveloped.
Mayor Mark Jamieson said the Sunshine Coast had come a long way in the last decade and the decisions of today would benefit young families in the future.
“In 2011 there was almost no development – only ten years ago,” he said.
“Between 2008 and 2011 lots of those young trades people…had to leave and pack up and head to the mines.
“And the number of children taken out of schools at that time underlined how challenged this area was.”
Cr Jamieson said the council of that day “boldly” made the decision to develop a regional economic plan with objectives to reduce double-digit unemployment, raise household incomes which were well below the state average and double gross regional product.
“That’s made the place even more appealing to come and live because they can see they have an economic future as well as a lifestyle future,” he said.
“Today we are making a decision to recognise we have a statutory responsibility to bring down a new planning scheme for ten years that can take three to four years.”
Cr Jamieson said he would support the motion.
