It’s BEEN a long, costly and hard-fought battle and last week the local community groups who were fighting the Sekisui House Development at Yaroomba were informed that the approved development application had officially been cancelled.
The approval to construct a high-density development with buildings up to 7 storeys had been cancelled at the request of the new owners Dennis Family Corporation, under their company Beachside Yaroomba Land Pty Ltd.
Development Watch Inc., Friends of Yaroomba Inc. and the Sunshine Coast Environment Council Inc. were elated at the news after they were notified via Council’s development website.
Development Watch President Lynette Saxton said it was wonderful news.
“Whilst Dennis Family Corporation may have their own reasons for cancelling the approval, it means the community can now live with certainty instead of wondering whether the approval could still be used in total or in part down the track.”
Cancellation of the approval will now set the parameters for the site which must be followed and ward off any future plans for the site and potentially others in the area.
“The most important benefit of this cancellation though is that the precedent for buildings that exceed the allowable height limit will no longer exist.
“Precedents are often used as leverage to get approvals for building heights outside the Planning Scheme and the removal of this precedent will help scenically beautiful Yaroomba and the surrounding areas in the future if developers try to push for increases in building heights over and above that allowed under the Planning Scheme.”
The groups will be working collaboratively in the future to ensure the Planning Scheme, currently under review, maintains the existing building heights across the Coolum and Yaroomba region.
“Coolum/Yaroomba can take its fair share of density without the necessity to increase building heights, provided supporting infrastructure is in place,” Lynette said.
The site will revert to being governed by the Coolum Hyatt Integrated Resort and Residential Community (Hyatt Masterplan).
The Hyatt Masterplan allows for 330 dwellings onsite with a range of 2 to 4-storey buildings, up to a maximum height of 16 metres.
In comparison, the Sekisui approval allowed for 817 dwellings up to 7 storeys, or 24.5 metres.
Division 8 Councillor Taylor Bunnag said the approval was no longer in effect and local residents now had greater clarity about what would be delivered on the site.
“The cancellation of the Sekisui approval represents a significant day for the Yaroomba community because it ends a seven-year process of uncertainty surrounding this particular site,” Cr Bunnag said.
“This is an important moment in time for local people who for many years fought hard to have their voices heard on what the future of their community looked like, and I would like to acknowledge the efforts of everyone involved.”
Lynette furthered those sentiments as to how influential the local support was.
“Development Watch would also like to thank the community for their incredible support and energy during the drawn-out Sekisui saga and we look forward to their ongoing commitment to the liveability of Coolum and Yaroomba for this and future generations.”