The transformation of one of the region’s major CBDs is accelerating, with a four-tower apartment and retail project proposed for a landmark site only months after its $17 million sale.
If given the go ahead, the proposal would significantly expand redevelopment plans for the 6167sqm site at 139 Bulcock Street and 70–76 Omrah Avenue in Caloundra.
The long-running Suncourt Motel, which has occupied the prominent Bulcock Street-facing site for more than 50 years, would be demolished to make way for the proposed redevelopment.
Sold in late 2025 by Sunshine Coast developer, Henzell Property Group, the land currently has development approval for a staged mixed-use project comprising 70 apartments, ground-floor commercial space and a four-level medical and commercial building.
The newly lodged material change of use application requests approval for 170 apartments across four 10-storey towers, alongside retail and dining spaces, rooftop recreation areas and a pedestrian laneway stretching through the centre of the site.
The development application was lodged by Caloundra No 1 Pty Ltd through Adams and Sparkes Town Planning. ASIC and ABN records show Caloundra No 1 Pty Ltd has been active since November 14, 2025.
Owner’s consent forms lodged with the application show the site is owned by HM Investments Omrah Pty Ltd and HM Project Marketing Pty Ltd. The owner’s consent forms for both companies were signed by Mclean Henzell as sole director.
Planning documents show the project would be delivered in two stages, with the north-west and north-east towers constructed first, delivering 77 apartments and ground-floor commercial space.
The second stage would involve the south-west and south-east towers, increasing the total residential yield across the site to 170 apartments.
The development would comprise a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments across buildings up to 30 metres high.
Parking would be spread across ground and podium levels, with 248 car parks, 22 motorcycle spaces and 225 bicycle spaces proposed.
The land forms part of Caloundra’s designated Key Site 2 precinct – one of several catalyst redevelopment areas identified by Sunshine Coast Council for higher-density mixed-use projects aimed at reshaping the CBD and driving long-term urban renewal.
The site, identified in planning documents as the western sites precinct, was specifically earmarked under the Caloundra Centre Master Plan for integrated redevelopment linking Bulcock Street and Omrah Avenue.
Planning documents state “importance has been placed on orientating the commercial tenancies along the entire Bulcock Street frontage and along the pedestrian through block linkage”.
“Smaller retail tenancies are proposed along the pedestrian through block link and to Omrah Avenue, with larger tenancies accommodated along the Bulcock Street frontage,” the report states.
Architectural plans prepared by Sunshine Coast firm OGE Group show the project arranged around landscaped communal open space rather than a single large building footprint.
A central laneway connecting Bulcock Street and Omrah Avenue forms a key part of the design, with planning material describing opportunities for outdoor dining, public art and pedestrian-focused activation.
“More than a pedestrian access way. Retail frontage and outdoor seating maximise laneway opportunities.”
The planning report describes the proposal as a “visually distinctive, modern development” responsive to the site’s subtropical coastal setting.
Preliminary renders included within the application illustrate ‘Suncourt Residences’ signage on parts of the development – seemingly a nod to the historical motel, although the name has not been formally identified within the planning documents.
Acoustic reports lodged with the application assessed future traffic noise impacts around Bulcock Street and surrounding roads, with recommended mitigation measures incorporated into the design.
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As previously reported by Sunshine Coast News, the site sale attracted interest from more than 80 buyer groups during the 2025 expressions-of-interest campaign.
At the time, Colliers’ Baydn Dodds said the level of buyer activity reflected growing confidence in the area’s future transformation.
“The depth of buyer interest and the eventual unconditional contract at $17 million further enforce the market confidence in Caloundra as an emerging Sunshine Coast destination undergoing major transformation and renewal,” Mr Dodds said.
The proposal is code assessable, meaning it is not expected to require formal public notification or a public submission period.
The application is now under assessment by Sunshine Coast Council.
