Bracing for the new Planning Scheme
The prospect of the impending Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Planning Scheme Review fills one with a sense of foreboding.
It is inevitable the Council’s Planning Department will have considerable influence over the framing of new building requirements, notably height restrictions on the Esplanade.
Recent events demonstrate a keen appetite within the Planning Department to accommodate the Development Industry’s obsession with going up.
This complaisance was clearly demonstrated in the comments provided by the Assessment Manager to the Council in the lead up to the July decision whether to approve the Development Application for the 21 Storey Hervey Bay Sheraton Resort on the Esplanade at Torquay.
“The incorporation of requirements for the use of semi mature plantings will assist with an immediate buffering of the properties to the west, noting that a code compliant development not subject to this level of assessment would have similar levels of interface when viewed from the directly adjoining properties. As previously mentioned in this report, the amenity outcomes (albeit to overbearing nature) are very consistent at eye level to that experienced by developments that adjoin compliant built forms.”
It appears that the Assessment Manager is arguing, quite bizarrely, that as far as the impact to the properties to the west of the proposed development, it really doesn’t make any difference if the development is 21 Storeys, or six Storeys as prescribed in our current Planning Scheme.
This is one of many instances within the Planning Department’s report to Council where extraordinary justifications are tendered for the unprecedented approval. One fears that if the same persuasive narrative is employed by the Planning Department in preliminary scoping of our revised Planning Scheme, we will see necessary objectivity and sensible analysis surrendered.
What is clear is that the basis of Council’s approval of the Hervey Bay Sheraton Resort needs a proper legal scrutiny, thereby giving clarity to Planning Scheme Review considerations, lest we end up living in North Gold Coast.
It is important therefore that the current Appeal in the Planning and Environment Court against Council’s approval by Wildlife Queensland Fraser Coast Branch is successful. Please support their fundraising efforts to cover legals costs.
Peter Duck - Point Vernon
Torquay Caravan Park
Upon a recent visit to the Torquay Caravan Park (I am a local), I was advised by an employee of the park that it is the Councils intent to shut down and bulldoze the park in 2027, to create more usable public areas.
The Esplanade is well over 10 kms long with lots of open areas, seating, toilets and access to the beach. Surely that's plenty of space.
The local Councillor, who says he is opposed to the park’s destruction, has approached Torquay Caravan Park, requesting the Park management to ask their guests to collect receipts for all local purchases, which will be sent to the Councillors office.
This should show the amount the park guests are spending at our local shops, which I believe would be substantial.
My friend, who is currently staying at the park, took it upon himself, when in these shops, to mention about the Councils intent to shut the park in 2027.
Not one business owner had heard of this.
Hervey Bay is a wonderful place to live and visit, yet the Councils seems intent on stuffing it up, by closing a well-used caravan park that brings visitors, and their money, to our area.
Graham R - Urangan
