A development application to establish short-term accommodation in a scenic location has been refused by Sunshine Coast Council.
The proposed facility on 862 and 894 Landsborough-Maleny Road at Bald Knob was for six two-storey buildings including 38 one- and two-bedroom units, a manager’s residence and a reception area, along with car parks.
A town planning report, submitted by Adams and Sparkes on behalf of the applicant Geoffrey Thomas Family Trust, stated that the planned venue could help cater for a shortage of accommodation in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
But a council development assessment report stated that it wasn’t a good fit for the area and recommended it be refused. Six of 11 councillors agreed at Thursday’s meeting and it was subsequently rejected.
The assessment report detailed how the facility would be detrimental.
“The proposed development is in clear and substantial conflict with the Planning Scheme, particularly in relation to the Strategic Framework, Rural Zone Code, Scenic Amenity Overlay Code, Landslide Hazard and Steep Land Overlay Code and the Nature and Rural Based Tourism Code,” it stated.
The report said the buildings would affect the rural value of the area and block views along a well-known tourist trail.
“The proposal will detract from the visual amenity of the Landsborough-Maleny Road scenic route and will be visually obtrusive relative to its non-urban setting and surroundings,” it said.
“The built form of the proposal does not integrate with or complement the predominant rural character intended for the zone.
“The proposal does not protect views from the scenic route to numerous significant landscape features such as Mount Coolum, Mount Ninderry, Mount Cooroy and the broader coastline, which are important in a local context.”
The report also said that the required earthworks could have significant impacts on the landform.
“The site is highly constrained with very steep slopes which form part of the Blackall Range escarpment, and the development has not been sensitively designed or sited to minimise impacts on the regionally significant landscape feature,” it said.
The report also stated that there was no guarantee the site could accommodate large-scale on-site effluent treatment areas.
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The vote to refuse was made after the town planning report touted the planned facility’s benefits and suggested it would have minimal impacts on visual amenity. It was estimated to be worth about $20 million to the region.
“The proposal is intended to encourage people to stay and explore the local area, promoting the Sunshine Coast hinterland as a destination,” it stated.
“The proposal is almost completely screened from view from Landsborough-Maleny Road to protect the scenic route while also maintaining the important views to the north-east.”
It also said the planned facility would suit the area.
“The proposed intensity of the use in terms of both density of accommodation and number of rooms in consistent with existing and surrounding short-term accommodation offerings in rural zone,” the report said.
It noted that the area is “one of Australia’s most sought-after wedding destinations”, and that there are several wedding venues in the immediate area, including Maleny Manor, which is owned by the applicant. Two well-known restaurants are also nearby.
Council received a petition with 1158 signatories opposing the proposal in October.
Mayor Rosanna Natoli and councillors Tim Burns, Ted Hungerford, Maria Suarez, Taylor Bunnag and David Law refused the proposal, while councillors Winston Johnston, Terry Landsberg, Joe Natoli, Jenny Broderick and Christian Dickson supported it.
Many of the councillors that refused the proposal said they were concerned an approval would go against the planning scheme and would set a precedent for other potential developments in rural areas.
