A new college that could accommodate up to 300 students has been proposed for a site that previously had approval for a shopping centre.
A development application has been submitted to Sunshine Coast Council to establish the independent secondary school on a 2.2-hectare site at 31 Bruce Parade, Glass House Mountains.
The school would be modelled on Horizons College at Caboolture and deliver a tailored educational environment for about 250-300 students and 30 staff.
A development assessment report by Project Urban on behalf of Horizons College Glass House Mountains Limited says the college would involve the construction of six new buildings with a total gross floor area of about 5920sqm.
“The proposed development will operate as an independent secondary school for students in Years 7 to 12, with a core focus on re-engaging young people who may have become disengaged from mainstream schooling,” it says.
“The curriculum will provide a combination of traditional academic pathways and vocational education and training programs aligned with industry standards and student interest areas.”
In April 2012 approval was given for a shopping complex on 1.6 hectares of the site. It included a 1300sqm supermarket, nine specialty retail tenancies and 137 on-site car parks.
Although approved through an impact-assessable application and granted several extensions between 2016 and 2019, the development did not proceed due to commercial infeasibility. The approval lapsed.
The school would also have covered walkways, internal landscaped spaces and outdoor recreation areas, including basketball and netball courts.
The maximum building height would be two storeys, and a total of 56 car parking spaces would be provided across two car parks.
The application also includes plans for a food and drink outlet.
“The inclusion of a corner cafe ensures that a component of the development contributes directly to the centre’s retail and hospitality offering,” the report says.
“This small-scale use is consistent with the rural town character and will provide amenity to students, staff and local residents alike.”
The site is about 200m north of the Glass House Mountains town centre, which includes an IGA, RSL, retail businesses, visitor information centre and railway station slightly further south.
It has frontages to Bruce Parade and Ryan Street, with Steve Irwin Way also bounding the site to the east but does not provide direct access. Principal access would be from Bruce Parade.
The site, which is zoned Local Centre, is currently vacant with some minor structures remaining from historical use.
The website of Horizons College at Caboolture says it is a non-state, special assistance school that opened in 2014 and caters for Years 7 to 12.
“The school offers relevant curriculum and features small class sizes, daily one-on-one support, flexible learning environments and a positive educational experience for its students,” it says.
The application is code assessable.
