Public feedback is open on a plan to transform almost 34ha of former Sunshine Coast Airport runway land.
The Airport North Precinct Master Plan proposes a mix of tourism, accommodation, retail, employment and aviation uses across the former runway precinct, with submissions being considered by Economic Development Queensland because the airport sits within a Priority Development Area.
Any individual developments would still require subsequent applications and detailed assessment.
The notification period has prompted renewed criticism from councillor Taylor Bunnag, who has focused on the modelling contained in a Traffic Impact Assessment prepared for Sunshine Coast Airport by engineering consultancy Arup.
Cr Bunnag, who said his comments represented his personal views rather than those of the council, described the assessment as “fundamentally flawed” on social media recently.
One of Cr Bunnag’s concerns is the future road network used in the modelling.
Arup states future models provided by the council assume several upgrades will be in place by 2031, including duplication of the Sunshine Motorway between David Low Way and Yandina Coolum Road.
The assessment also states no timing is available for completion of the motorway upgrades, although they were included in the endorsed regional traffic model for 2031.
Cr Bunnag questioned whether those assumptions reflected what residents were likely to experience.
“The upshot of the traffic assessment to me is simple – with completely unrealistic surrounding infrastructure delivery timelines, this assessment masks real traffic problems on the David Low Way and the broader local road network,” he said.
The councillor has also challenged assumptions around public transport and journeys made within the airport precinct.
Arup acknowledged the Sunshine Coast was heavily car dependent and public transport around the airport is limited, but its modelling makes allowances for increased public transport use associated with planned future services including The Wave.
It also reduces some external traffic by allowing for trips between uses within the broader airport development.
Cr Bunnag said those modelling inputs did not adequately reflect how people would travel to some proposed businesses or the physical separation between areas of the airport.
“Even if the surrounding infrastructure is in place in the timeframes suggested, which we know is nearly impossible, we will have thousands of extra cars on the David Low Way every day,” he said.
Sunshine Coast Airport has defended the traffic assessment, with a spokesperson saying it used a regional traffic model provided by Sunshine Coast Council and was undertaken in accordance with Department of Transport and Main Roads requirements.
“Airport North is expected to generate additional traffic, but detailed modelling shows these impacts can be mitigated through targeted road and intersection improvements delivered as the development progresses,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the future-year models supplied by the council assumed several road infrastructure upgrades would be in place by 2031.
“The airport will deliver the infrastructure within its responsibility and continue to work in partnership with both state and local government to coordinate broader road network improvements in line with regional growth and long-term transport planning.”
The airport said the assessment had been prepared with council input on traffic and transport implications, while Sunshine Coast Airport, the state government and local government each had roles in supporting future growth.
Arup’s assessment also forecasts substantial additional traffic.
Airport North alone is projected to generate about 12,000 vehicle trips a day, while development across the full airport master plan is forecast to generate about 2950 trips during the weekday morning peak and 3225 during the afternoon peak.
The assessment found the full master plan would have a “moderate” impact on the surrounding network and identified intersection upgrades to address it.
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Before additional mitigation, overall network delay for the full master plan was forecast to increase by 28.3 per cent relative to the Gateway and Aerospace precinct scenario.
Arup proposed measures including changes at the future David Low Way-Green Turtle Place-Airport North access and potential upgrades at the David Low Way-Sunshine Motorway ramps and Yandina Coolum Road-South Coolum Road-School Road intersection.
It concluded the broader airport development could proceed while maintaining the safety, efficiency and resilience of the road network if mitigation measures were delivered in line with development staging.
Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Chris Mills told SCN in September that the traffic and flood studies were still being finalised before public notification began.
“We believe it is important that the community has access to the full suite of relevant information when being asked to consider the proposal,” Mr Mills said.
The planning report divides Airport North into three broad areas: a northern tourism and accommodation precinct, a central mixed-use precinct and a southern employment precinct.
Cr Bunnag said he supported growth at the airport but opposed the proposed mix of uses at Airport North.
“The proposed Airport North precinct as lodged by the airport will negatively change the North Shore forever,” he said.
“It focuses on the wrong land uses and will create serious traffic issues on already choked infrastructure.”
Cr Bunnag said he was working with North Shore residents’ groups to hold an Airport North community forum at Surfair Beach Hotel from 7pm on Thursday, November 19.
Submissions for the application can be made in writing by quoting development application number DEV-2026-SCA-5330. Email developmentservices@edq.qld.gov.au or post to: EDQ Development Services, Economic Development Queensland, GPO Box 2202, Brisbane Qld 4001.
Public notification closes on December 3.
