A proposal to increase the height of a planned beachfront hotel has been approved.
Aria Property Group’s request to add two storeys to its approved tower at Mooloolaba Beach was supported by Sunshine Coast councillors at a meeting on Thursday.
Councillors agreed unanimously to approve the project after receiving an officer’s recommendation that highlighted benefits, including the “need for additional hotel accommodation and the substantial economic and tourism benefits associated with delivering a five-star international standard hotel”.
EARLIER: Plans to increase the scale of a proposed luxury hotel beside a popular beach have been recommended for approval ahead of a council vote.
Aria Property Group is seeking to add 50 rooms to its approved tower on the Mooloolaba Esplanade, through an increase from 14 storeys to 16 storeys.
The proposal would increase the building height from 55m to 66.45m, beyond the local height limit of 59.4m.
The application also includes an offer from the developer to pay $9 million to upgrade a section of the foreshore in front of the development.
The region’s first 5-star international standard hotel would have a total of 201 hotel rooms, 46 residential apartments, a food and drink outlet, bar and shop.
A report recommended approval, ahead of Sunshine Coast Council’s ordinary meeting tomorrow.
An executive summary outlined reasons why.
“While the increased height results in some additional visual prominence and incremental amenity impacts, these impacts are generally moderate and do not give rise to unacceptable adverse outcomes when considered in the context of the existing approval,” it stated.
The report stated that there was a “need for additional hotel accommodation and the substantial economic and tourism benefits associated with delivering a five-star international standard hotel”.
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“The proposal addresses a recognised shortfall in hotel supply and will contribute to employment, visitation and the broader regional economy.”
The report highlighted the developer’s offer to pay for the Mooloolaba Southern Parklands (Stage 3 of the Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation Project).
“The applicant’s commitment to deliver key components of the Placemaking Mooloolaba Master Plan, secured through an Infrastructure Agreement, represents a significant public benefit.
“The delivery of high-quality foreshore parklands, streetscape upgrades and associated infrastructure at no cost to Council, and in advance of Council’s delivery program, is a matter that weighs heavily in favour of the proposal and provides strong planning justification for the additional height sought.
“On balance, the proposed development is considered to be in the public interest and warrants approval despite the identified non-compliance with building height provisions.”
Stage 1 of the foreshore project, the Northern Parklands, is already complete, while Stage 2, the Central Meeting Place and Southern Seawall, is underway. Future stages include the Southern Parklands and the Central Parkland.
The application has been met with some opposition though.
Seventy-one of 540 submissions, during a community engagement phase, objected to the proposal.
They raised a range of matters, particularly in relation to height, character, amenity and precedent.
But a council assessment concluded that the issues raised in opposition “do not outweigh the demonstrated benefits of the proposal” and “a substantial majority of properly made submissions support the application, particularly in relation to the economic, tourism and public realm benefits”.
