Council Planning and Development Meeting 1-09

February 13th, 2009

Briefs – Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Planning and Development Committee meeting – 11 February 2009

Watson Street office extension

The Council has agreed to a proposal by Dixon Homes to extend its Watson Street office in Pialba to create 100 square metres of additional space. The building will sit above seven car parks. It will replace a shed and carport.

Urangan Street subdivision

An application to reconfigure one 2.85ha lot into 32 residential lots and parkland in Urangan Street was approved by the Council subject to conditions. The lots range in size from 600 square metres to 741 square metres.

Senorita Parade subdivision

Preliminary approval was given by the Council for the reconfiguring of one 2.137ha lot into eight residential lots in Senorita Parade, Urangan subject to conditions that include the provision of stormwater drainage information. The proposed lots range in size from 2000 square metres to 3693 square metres and will be developed in two stages. (I voted against this due to all the constraints apparent on this block especailly concerning drainage although all these 5 acre blocks are now zoned to allow them to be developed. I am sad to see the loss of so much open space and the impact that subdividing a block has on an adjoining neighbour who wants to live in a peaceful environment and also to traffic.)

Manskie Street subdivision

An application for a Development Permit to reconfigure five lots into 75 low density residential lots and parkland was approved by the Council. The 9.2ha subdivision in Manskie Street, Tinana, adjacent to the Bruce Highway, will be developed in six stages with stage one incorporating 16 lots and parklands. The proposed lot sizes range from 650 square metres to more than 900 square metres. The plan includes a 40-metre wide buffer along the Bruce Highway and a centrally located park. A landscaped pedestrian link is also proposed from the road reserve in the north of the site through to Central Road.

Offices and three-level car park in Torquay Road

A Development Permit for a Material Change of Use was approved by the Council for a four-storey office complex and three-level car park in Torquay Road, Pialba adjacent to the skate park.

Access to the car park will be from Torquay Road. The complex proposes 21 tenancies, one of which is designed as a medical centre catering for two doctors. The proposed premises range in size from 48 square metres to 153.4 square metres with a total floor area of 3060 square metres. An underground walkway links the car park to the internal stairwells of the commercial building.

Council, in a collaborative approach with the developer, was able to make mutually acceptable changes to the development so that an approval could be issued in less than four months.

There were several other large scale developments for Hervey Bay (mainly multi storey unit blocks) that Council has decided to assess under the Transitional Planning Scheme. There was a last minute rush to lodge applications prior to the Dec 15th 2008 cut off date. No one can now lodge an application under the ‘old’ Planning Scheme but have to apply under the current scheme which has been in place for 2 years now.

There was also a negotiated decision in relation to the Beach House Hotel site which will be 8 storeys when constructed.

It seems that applications are still being lodged but many of the lots seem to go on the market once they gain a Development Approval. I wonder how many of these buildings will ever be constructed!

One Response to “Council Planning and Development Meeting 1-09”

  1. # Sadmanon 14 Feb 2009 at 3:16 am

    Sue,
    I believe in fairness to future developers and the general public, unless an approved development is started within
    two years, the approval should lapse.
    Who knows what the future holds, both councils and the publics views might change and what was acceptable 5,
    1o or 15 years ago, might no longer be valid.

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