Coolum touch fields future unknown

A decision on the future use of the Coolum touch grounds has been deferred by the council.

Mike Garry

THE council has deferred a decision on Sunland Retirement Village’s proposed takeover of the Coolum touch fields.

Council officers had recommended a refusal of the application to build a residential retirement village as it did not comply with the Maroochy planning scheme.

But despite the unanimous support of the council’s strategy and planning committee – councillors Abbot, Griffin, Green, Jones, Hungerford and Grosskreutz – for the officers’ recommendation, councillors Blumel, Dwyer, Dickson, Thompson, Tatton, McKay and Brennan voted for the deferral.

The motion to defer was moved by councillor Jenny McKay, who only last month resigned from the Sundale board after a nine-year tenure.

She said her involvement in the issue was “quite in the guidelines”.

“It was only a deferment until we’ve got further information,” she said

She will consider abstaining when the matter comes back to councillors for a final vote.

“I will seek advice and I’m only too happy to abstain myself if there is a perceived conflict of interest,” she said.

The decision to defer was taken after Sundale consultants Covey Associates sent councillors a letter with information, not contained in the report, relating to discussions between the developer and the state government.

Covey Associates refutes the officers’ claim the development would mean less sport and recreational land in the area because the touch fields would be relocated to land not used for sport and recreation.

The letter also rejects the report’s suggestion that access to the touch fields could be sought from Sundale along an existing sewer easement.

“Such access would not be granted by Sundale as it would have enormous detrimental effect on the amenity of its development in that area,” the letter states.

Division 9 councillor Vivien Griffin said she was disappointed at the 7-6 vote to defer a decision on the application, which had attracted more than 150 objections from the community.

“We are facing a serious shortfall of sports and recreation land in Coolum and I only hope that when this matter returns to council the officer recommendation for refusal will be supported by the majority of councillors,” she said.

“Council officers had recommended a refusal for this application as it does not comply with the Maroochy planning scheme.

“The issues are very clear cut. The site is zoned for recreation and the application was for a residential retirement village.

“Planning staff were absolutely clear-cut in their report that the application was non-compliant and that the applicant had failed to demonstrate the overriding community benefit that is a necessary pre-condition for an approval of a non-complying development application.

“However, I accept that this matter is complex, and councillors have asked for a further report with more information to be provided on this matter within two months.”

Cr Griffin said the land where the touch fields were to be relocated under Sundale’s proposal was required for expansion by other sporting organisations at the adjacent Coolum Sports Complex.

“The draft open space strategy has identified a current shortfall of 7.5 hectares in the Coolum area, growing to 27.8 hectares by 2026,” she said.

“We need to protect every square metre of sport and recreation land we already have, and that is what I will be seeking from my fellow councillors.”