Project splits councillors
CONCERNS relating to limited public input on a massive new community and industrial subdivision at Gordonvale have been raised after a successful rezoning request expected to pave the way for further development in Cairns’ southern growth corridor.
In June 2021, council received a “material change of use” proposal from Stateland Pty Ltd ahead of a three-stage development on a 13.9ha site at the corner of the Bruce Highway and Riverstone Rd.
At Wednesday’s ordinary Cairns Regional Council meeting, councillors Amy Eden, Cathy Zeiger and Brett Olds voted against the project, however, did not have the numbers to block the development.
The application outlines potential land uses, including a service station, carwash, and food-and-drink outlet in precinct 1, a transport depot, landscape supplies or a hardware and trade supplies business in precinct 2. It includes a retirement village, tourist park, relocatable home park, place of worship and childcare centre in precinct 3.
Division 9 councillor Brett Olds said a downgrading in scrutiny was effectively silencing community voices on a significant development.
“I can’t support it in its current form,” Cr Olds said. “Impact assessment has a higher level of scrutiny than code assessment, and I just feel we are taking something away from the community.”
Division 3 councillor Cathy Zeiger questioned why developers had proposed a downgrading of requirements in precinct 1 from an impact assessable to code assessable framework, meaning public notification would not be required.
“I am concerned about this because this development is directly opposite another service station,” she said.
Council planning director Ed Johnson told the meeting that the application shift was moved to provide land use confidence for the applicant.
“(The applicant wants) certainty from a community perspective about what that may begin to look like and how that’s managed through conditions of approval,” he said.
Though council stated in its recommendation aspects of the development did “represent a departure from the planning scheme” officers were satisfied that such departures were “appropriate based on the information submitted.” The application also considers maximum building heights to ensure good views of Walshs Pyramid for southbound motorists travelling the Bruce Highway.
Approvals are subject to a significant list of conditions, including an 8.5m building height cap on precincts fronting the highway and 15m within the industrial precinct.
Other conditions include a maximum 800sqm floor area for food-and-drink outlets, and no more than two shops will be permitted.