A MAJOR coastal development has been approved for a large tract of land on the fringe of Ocean Drive, just south of Lake Cathie.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Seawide Estate – a forerunner in the development of the south urban corridor – is expected to inject at least 100 million dollars into the region’s ailing building industry.
The approval forms a significant part of council’s strategic planning for Area 14, a master planned community now proposed to be known as Rainbow Beach.
Planning Consultancy King + Campbell director Tony Thorne said approval for the large-scale development marks a major milestone some 20 years in the making.
He said the latest approval by the Joint Regional Planning Authority was for 168 residential lots, six medium density development sites, two hilltop village development sites, a hilltop village square, public reserve and environmental buffer lots.
McGrath marketing agent Steve Newman said the unique coastal release of northerly inclined, easy-building blocks would be one of the last in the region.
“We think it’s a very special product for a select number of people. We only have 65 home sites on this particular block,” Mr Newman said.
The visionary plan for Seawide Estate includes a hilltop village and light commercial precinct, extensive street scaping, footpaths and boardwalks running along the foreshore and through the rainforest.
Developer representative Grahame Cunning said the market had responded positively to the first land release.
He said the multi-million dollar development of Ocean Club had already displayed confidence in the area.
“You have views that stretch all the way to Lighthouse in the north and Bonny Hills in the south and is bordered on a fringe of a beautiful rainforest sanctuary,” Mr Cunning said.
“On top of that you have just a short boardwalk through the rainforest straight onto the beach, a new school on the way, four new sporting ovals and an expanding medical centre across the road.”
Bonny Hills builder and long-time local Stephen McCarthy is hoping to build a display home on the site.
He said a particularly good feature of the subdivision is the master plan element of Area 14 as a whole.
“I’ve seen the place go from 15 to 20 school kids at Bonny Hills, to 15 to 20 bus loads going now. It’s good to see it’s actually planned growth rather than just ad-hoc.
“Instead of having all individual estates it’s going to appear to be as one, which will be great for the area.”
“They don’t make land like this anymore – it will be pretty popular.”
The DA report said the proposed development would not be expected to have any adverse cumulative impacts on the natural or built environment, or the social and economic attributes of the area.
“All that’s been considered in the master planning ,” Mr Cunning said.
“Council had consultants do major investigations – it’s all preplanned and it’s all new and exciting urbanism.”
The recent approval follows Part 3A Concept Plan Approvals and Stage 1 project approval for environmental works issued by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure in November 2011.
Mr Cunning said the 20-year time lag for approval highlighted the inefficiency of the planning system.
“I think it’s a really sad indictment on the planning system as a whole. We don’t want to sell land for any dearer than we have to.”
The development will provide a new public link to Rainbow Beach via a boardwalk and public pathway and cycleway adjoining the proposed foreshore reserve.