Sunshine Coast councillors have voted unanimously to allow the development of about 420 dwellings on Wises Farm.
The 39-hectare property, which has been owned by generations of the Wise family, is the largest undeveloped open space in the Maroochydore/Buderim area.
The council voted on an application by Norfolk Estates Pty Ltd, a company linked to developer QM Properties, on whether to approve its development plan for the site.
A council officer’s report prepared ahead of today’s ordinary meeting recommended the application for approval.
The plan includes about 420 residential dwellings, 1500sqm for business use, community facilities, 13.5 hectares of open areas and associated bulk earthworks.
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Councillor Taylor Bunnag introduced an amendment to the recommendation, with his changes focused largely on mitigating potential traffic impacts.
Among the amendments was a requirement for more zebra crossings, street lighting and safe on-road bike lanes on Sunshine Cove Way, which will connect the development site with Sunshine Cove via an underpass beneath the Sunshine Motorway. That road would see traffic volumes of about 3000 vehicles a day once established.
The amendment also requires the 6200sqm and 1500sqm public parks proposed within the development to meet required standards for road frontage, flood immunity, public amenities and pedestrian and cycle path connections.
Cr Bunnag’s amendment – which was circulated to other councillors before the meeting – was adopted unanimously by the council.
“I’m moving these amendments today because my gut tells me that development is going to occur on this section of Wises Farm. It’s a no-brainer by the look of it,” he said.
“Rather than being outraged, I’m more focused on outcomes being reasonable for nearby residents, many of whom in Sunshine Cove have made submissions.”
Of the 60 properly made submissions, 49 were opposed, seven were in support and four were neutral.
“My primary concern … is relating to traffic impacts that will be generated through the residential streets of Sunshine Cove because of this new link under the Sunshine Motorway,” Cr Bunnag said.
“From the outset I think it’s very important to establish facts in any sort of emotional debate like this. The fact is that this has always been intended to be a road access having been formed under the Sunshine Motorway through Sunshine Cove. As much as I dislike that fact and I’m sure residents in my division do, that is the fact of the matter.
“In response, residents of the Cove in their submissions have rightfully expressed concerns about pedestrian safety and what ‘rat running’ would do to their community. I personally found those submissions about pedestrian safety and amenity to be very fair and reasonable.
“I’ve listened to them to the fullest extent that I can but it would be irresponsible and unreasonable for me to simply disregard 25 years of strategic planning intent about this road being built because it might make me more popular in Sunshine Cove.
“As a councillor and as the local councillor, I feel it’s my role to be realistic with residents that this road will happen for many reasons – access, safety, public transport – but fundamentally it’s happening because this has been identified as a route for 25 years in almost every strategic planning document and preliminary approval before this council.”
More than 73,000 cubic metres of fill will be required on the site, which Cr Terry Landsberg said equated to almost 1000 B-double truckloads.
It is understood QM Properties bought the property for $93.5 million last year after the passing of Peter Wise in 2024. The property had been on the market since 2022.
The development application was originally submitted in 2022 and underwent public notification in 2024. A maximum of 570 dwellings was initially proposed, which was later revised down to 420.
A preliminary approval for the site was also issued in 2012 by the Planning and Environment Court.
