Resort design set to evolve

THE development team behind a $650 million resort near Kuranda says the design is not final and can be changed.

KUR-World developer Ken Lee, development manager Mark Lawson and several other executives told a Mareeba Chamber of Commerce lunch that the project was still at the concept stage.

Mr Lawson said it was “a concept master plan at this stage. There have been no detailed designs”.

Feedback on the Draft Terms of Reference (ToR) for its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) closed earlier this week and the State Government will now consider all of the 27 draft submissions made.

Mr Lawson said the Government would decide the final terms of reference, outlining all of the terms and conditions that KUR-World must follow through the EIS. He said some of the concerns included rate increases, increased traffic on the Kuranda Range, water usage, sewerage and environmental issues.

“We will look at trying to modify the design if we find that the EIS impacts too rigorously upon the land and if that doesn’t work then we’ll look at modifying the design,” Mr Lawson said.

He said if the project was approved it would be delivered in three stages, with the first expected to begin in June 2018 and worth about $240 million.

Stage one would include an equestrian centre and farm-themed experiences, residential lots (50 lifestyle allotments and farmstay accommodation, preliminary roads and services, a three-star resort with 270 rooms, convention centre and function space, entry features and landscaping, and shopping and dining hub.

Kuranda resident Leah Kelly said she was disappointed with the lack of consultation by the developers.

“The biggest problem is why the Mareeba Chamber of Commerce got the presentation when we’ve been trying to get that communication line open,” she said.

“Not everyone is going to be up in arms, it’s actually a courtesy. This is our lifestyle, our backyard.”

Ms Kelly said the environmental impact of the whole project would be “huge”.

Tropical Tablelands Tourism chairman Michael Trout said he was thrilled to see the project progress.

“We’ve been waiting 20 years for a major development on the Tablelands,” he said.

“It was identified through Tourism Tropical North Queensland 20 years ago that what’s holding the Tablelands back – a hotel construction.”

WE WILL LOOK AT TRYING TO MODIFY THE DESIGN IF WE FIND THAT THE EIS IMPACTS TOO RIGOROUSLY UPON THE LAND AND IF THAT DOESN’T WORK THEN WE’LL LOOK AT MODIFYING THE DESIGN KUR-WORLD DEVELOPMENT MANAGER MARK LAWSON