AGENDA - Sunshine Coast Council

Strategy and Planning Committee Agenda 16 February 2011
The Marine-Based Business area is located adjacent to and south-west of the existing
shopping centre. The location and proposed activities are designed to sleeve the servicing
areas of the shopping centre and provide a gateway into the mixed use area. The types of
activities that are supported in this area include a boat stacking facility, marine based
businesses (i.e. chandlery, boat sales, etc.), residential development and commercial office
space up to 4,600m². These commercial premises are expected to appeal primarily to
companies drawn by amenities such as marine environment and those that seek a highly
distinctive image and working environment, including businesses in creative industries
ranging from architecture to software design. The proposed Planning Area Code does not
support the establishment of marine businesses such as boat building and the servicing and
maintenance of boats within this Precinct.
The applicant has proposed showrooms in this area, which is inconsistent with the
commercial hierarchy and is not supported.
The Mixed Use area is intended to become the main feature of the District Business Centre,
intentionally located with a north-east aspect over the future marina. The majority of the
additional retail floor area (up to a total of 6,200m²) will be located in this area, predominantly
comprising shops and restaurants with the potential for one convenience supermarket.
Commercial office space of up to 2,400m² is proposed, as is land for community facilities and
public waterfront areas. The proposed density and mix of uses within this area are
consistent with the intent of the Planning Scheme.
The Mixed Use area will include significant densities of residential and tourism
accommodation in a Main Street format generally with a 2-3 storey façade interspersed with
higher building elements to 6 storeys. One focal tower is proposed by the applicant up to 13
storeys (approximately 40-45 metres) high. The Planning Scheme does support the
inclusion of two focal towers at Pelican Waters. The first and only developed site is the
Crown Plaza, located adjacent the Golf Course in the western part of Pelican Waters, the
second site is located by the Planning Scheme in the District Business Centre. These towers
are permitted to a height of 30 metres (approximately 8-9 storeys), although the Crown Plaza
is approved at 12 storeys and approximately 40 metres. There is no apparent justification for
this increase in height in the Planning Report.
Justification for an increase in building height to 13 storeys is based around building
economics. Once a building exceeds 8 storeys in height, then additional safety and design
requirements make it unviable to do over only 1 or 2 storeys, therefore, encouraging more
storeys to spread costs. The maximum building height in the Caloundra CBD is 30-35
metres and there are concerns over the impact of overshadowing on adjacent sites from the
proposed tower. The recommendation is that the maximum height of the focal tower be
limited to 30 metres in accordance with the Planning Scheme.
The third additional area that forms part of the District Business Centre is the Medium
Density Residential Area. This area comprises land opposite the Marine-Based Business
Area and forms part of the gateway into the District Business Centre and the land
immediately adjacent to the Mixed Use Area. These areas are intended to incorporate
residential development generally in the form of Multiple Dwellings.
MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL PRECINCT
The Multi Unit Residential Precinct is intended to form a transition between the mixed-use
District Business Centre and the Low Density Residential allotments proposed for the fringe
of the central island. The precinct is characterised by a central Village Park forming the
primary open space in the precinct and is to be a central focus which the urban form,
streetscape and built character will respond to.
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