Business
11 November, 2024
‘Unseemly’ resort rejected
A SIGNIFICANT resort, apartment, villa and village development which would have changed the face of Palm Cove has been knocked back by Cairns Regional Council.
But not after Cr Matthew Tickner put his case for the project to be given the go-ahead.
Wednesday’s fortnightly council meeting was told the project had been in the planning stages for seven years and was vehemently opposed by residents, with more than 3000 objections. The developer Palm Cove Nominees had also been granted 11 extensions to their development application.
The project, in Cedar Rd directly behind Williams Esplanade, included a 120-room resort of up to six storeys high, seven apartment buildings up to three storeys high (42 apartments) and 17 two-storey high villas.
All councillors, except Cr Tickner, backed the officers recommendation that the development be rejected. Absent were Palm Cove’s divisional representative deputy mayor Cr Brett Olds (Div. 9) and Cr Brett Moller (Div. 1).
The council report said the proposed development “does not respond to, nor maintain or enhance, the character, identity and amenity of Palm Cove”.
“The development proposes a maximum building height for development of six storeys which is a significant departure from that which is reasonably expected to occur in both the zone and the wider Palm Cove neighbourhood,” it said.
“The proposed development does not represent a high quality, tropical built form outcome that is both compatible and complementary to the established and desired character and identity of Palm Cove.”
Cr Cathy Zeiger (Div. 3), who moved that the development be refused, said there was “community sentiment against allowing extra height in Palm Cove”.
“Objections were raised in regards to inconsistency with Cairns Plan 2016, excess height of six storeys, not meeting the character, identity and amenity of Palm Cove, environmental issues, flooding, stormwater issues, parking, no public space etc,” she said.
Cr Zieger said the original proposal was eight storeys high and council officers had worked for a long time trying to find “a mutually agreeable outcome”.
However, she said, the developer had not responded to requests about stormwater and sewerage as well as provision of a dedicated public park and guaranteed protection of melaleuca trees on the site.
“We care about our region and need to protect its value,” Cr Zeiger said.
“I believe we are supportive for development, but it has to be remarkable and quality.”
Cr Tickner (Div. 2) said it was “beholden on us (councillors) to recognise opportunity for our city … and sometimes opportunity comes with some risk”.
“After reviewing the information provided by the proponent of this development, against the counter-review of our planning department, I see the risks and I am comfortable with them for the outcome they can provide,” he said.
Cr Tickner said, while Palm Cove was described as ‘the jewel in the crown’, its ageing infrastructure often told a different story on the ground.
He said there were few significant parcels of land left, such as the Cedar Rd property, that could realistically handle new small resort developments.
“My fear is we lose it to a continuation of what we have already seen at Cedar Rd – more standard residential to then only be used by the few who can afford to buy it.”
Cr Tickner called on councillors to take a risk to rejuvenate Palm Cove and benefit all of Cairns “or pass this motion through and take, in my opinion, the riskier option of seeing this critical piece of land taken up by a few more over-priced houses and lose the opportunity for good.”
