An amended plan of development for an emerging Coast suburb has been unanimously approved by local councillors.
The changes to the Forest Glen Village Centre Plan of Development will allow for the addition of childcare and educational services in the area.
The application, which was voted on at the ordinary meeting of Sunshine Coast Council on August 21, amends a preliminary plan of development for the suburb that was approved in November 2020.
That preliminary approval created the Forest Glen Village Centre and overrode the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme by guiding future assessment levels for development applications lodged over the site.
The village centre spans just over six hectares between Mons Road and Sunshine Coast Grammar School. It includes the Forest Glen IGA, Jetts and bakery but not the Kunara Organic Marketplace and its adjacent businesses.
This month’s amendments relate largely to a 6029sqm section of that land between Village Centre Way and Grammar School Way, known as Precinct F.
“The requested changes to the Forest Glen Village Centre Plan of Development includes increasing maximum gross floor area allowance for Precinct F from 2500sqm to 4500sqm,” a report prepared ahead of the council meeting stated.
“(It also seeks to) amend Precinct F consistent land uses to include a range of business uses, including food and drink outlet, garden centre, healthcare services, office, sales office and veterinary services, and include community activities including educational establishment (e.g. a tutoring business, expansion of adjoining school services etc) and childcare centre.”
The council officer’s report, which recommended the application for approval, said there was need for more learning spaces in the area.
“The applicant’s economic impact assessment, supported by a peer review, confirms strong demand for childcare and educational services due to full occupancy at nearby centres and ongoing enrolment growth at Sunshine Coast Grammar School,” it said.
“These proposed uses and others align with the planning intent and Local Centre zoning.”
With the increased gross floor area in Precinct F, the Forest Glen Village Centre would comprise up to 20,290sqm of GFA overall.
A report prepared in December 2024 by Adams and Sparkes Town Planning for applicant Phaunos Pty Ltd, which is understood to be linked to the Forest Glen Village Centre, further explains how the plan of development operates.
“All new buildings/structures proposed in the FGVC will continue to be assessed via material change of use development application to ensure that the scale and intensity of development remains in line with the intent of the preliminary approval,” it said.
As part of the changes, a pedestrian route from Village Centre Way to Grammar School Way would be removed because it “lacks connectivity to footpaths or the school”.
“An alternative pedestrian pathway and raised crossing along Grammar School Way are proposed, supported by an infrastructure agreement,” the council officer’s report states.
“As part of this agreement, the applicant has committed up to $250,000 towards construction costs.”
Speaking at the council meeting, Cr Ted Hungerford said he felt “relief” at the amended plan.
“This has been about 20 years of my being a councillor getting Forest Glen to where it’s finally functional,” he said. “When I first came along, the only words I had for it were ‘basket case’.
“So I was very pleased when we looked at, ‘How do we make this area functional again?’. We brought in Emerging Community zoning to give us flexibility as it redevelops.
“This is going to be an area that really shows a Local Centre that’s functional.”
The application was publicly notified for 30 days in April and May with six submissions received, all of which were in support of the changes proposed.
The Forest Glen Village Centre website lists Tony Riddle as the board chairman, alongside IGA operator Michael White and Fencescape director Tim Murray.
