The state government could take over decision-making authority on a controversial development application for a major tourist park, after a proposed “call-in notice” for the project was issued.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, who is also the Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, issued the notice regarding a proposed 150-site tourist park on 43 hectares at the end of Roys Road at Coochin Creek.
The application was submitted by Coochin Creek Property Pty Ltd, directed by Robert and David Comiskey and their father Paul, to Sunshine Coast Council in October.
Another of their companies, Comiskey Management Services, already has approval to build an eco-park of 100 campsites and ancillary facilities on the site.
The site is east of the 150-hectare site the Comiskey Group wants to transform into the largest festival and outdoor event site in Australia.
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That application has been the subject of a Planning and Environment Court case between Coochin Creek Property Pty Ltd and the council, which was discontinued last month. The future of that project is unclear.
The proposed call-in notice by Mr Bleijie, dated April 22, could see the state government assess and decide on the application instead of the council.
“I give notice that I am proposing to call in and assess and decide a change application made by Coochin Creek Property Pty Ltd with respect to a development approval for premises located at 1807 Roys Road, Coochin Creek,” it states.
The notice says the minister can only call in an application if it’s in the state interest.
“I consider the application involves, or is likely to involve, the economic and environmental interests of the state, or part of the state,” it says.
The notice states that the site adjoins areas of high ecological and conservation value, including the Ramsar-protected Pumicestone Passage and wetlands, and that it is in the Moreton Bay-Sunshine Coast northern inter-urban break and the Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area.
“The council is of the view that the current proposal is of a scale and intensity that has the potential to adversely impact on ecologically important areas adjacent to the site, through noise, light, waste and water quality impacts,” it says.
But the notice goes on to consider the possible economic benefits of the project.
“The proposal is for a tourist park which has the potential to support a tourist market in the Sunshine Coast area as the site is well located to a range of tourist/recreation facilities including adjoining recreation facilities associated near Moreton Bay Marine Park and Bribie Island National Park,” it says.
“The material lodged in support of the application indicates there is a community and economic need for the proposed camping ground to be developed at the subject site. Furthermore, this indicates that significant accommodation investment is required across the Sunshine Coast region to improve the facilities, meet growth in overnight visitation and attract high-yielding markets.
“Further the application submits that the premises are well located to existing and proposed infrastructure, as recognised by the existing approval.”
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If the application is called in, the minister’s decision cannot be appealed in the Planning and Environment Court, as the application is an excluded application for the purposes of the Planning Act.
“The call-in process provides an opportunity to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the application and ensure all matters relevant to the proposed development are fully assessed including but not limited to social, economic and environmental considerations,” the notice says.
The eco-park application was approved by the Planning and Environment Court in late 2023 after the company appealed the council’s refusal of it in 2022.
The court approval is subject to a number of conditions, including that no more than 300 guests and staff be accommodated overnight, that the reception/administration building not be used as a food and drink outlet or bar for the general public, and that a number of improvements be carried out on Roys Road.
The new application seeks to increase the number of sites by a third to 150 and alter the mix from campsites only to 75 campsites and 75 cabins with one, two and three bedrooms.
The site is currently zoned for rural use and was previously used for strawberry farming.
Written representations can be made about the proposal to call in the application by May 23.
“Representations are specifically sought about: whether or not the proposed development involves a state interest; whether or not I should exercise my powers to call in the application; any matter stated in this proposed call-in notice,” the notice states.
The aerial imagery in this story is from Australian location intelligence company Nearmap. The company provides government organisations, architectural, construction and engineering firms, and other companies, with easy, instant access to high-resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D content, artificial intelligence data sets, and geospatial tools to assist with urban planning, monitoring and development projects in Australia, New Zealand and North America.
