Image: View from Mt Ninderry where the 185,000m2+ facility is to be located in the centre (Oct 2018).
“Factory facility” planned for Maroochy River
A development application has been lodged with Sunshine Coast Council by an interstate company to build an industrially scaled high tech intensive horticulture business on rural land directly in front of Mt Ninderry in the Maroochy River valley. It will largely be located on the southern floodplains of the upper estuary of the Maroochy River.
Hear more from local residents below and why Protect Our Scenic Amenity (POSA) has been created....
Currently there is no industry or development of this nature in this area, only pastures, orchards, recreational areas, cane fields, residential acreages and horse properties. The introduction of ‘intensive horticulture’, with significant monolithic greenhouse structures, large industrial scale sheds, woodchip boilers for C02 production and continual operations, will be the first of its kind within the area. If this facility is permitted to be built it will significantly change the character, lifestyle and environmental attributes of the Maroochy River valley, while irreparably damaging the ‘significant views’ of the area.
A development of this nature (if required on the Sunshine Coast) would be better suited to a location that already has similar developments, one that is not directly connected to a river or river catchment area and definitely not one of significant visual amenity and tourism for the region. Mt Ninderry has become an increasingly popular walking trail for tourists and locals with its’ vistas deemed by the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 as being ‘significant views’ of importance.
Should this proposal be approved by Council, it will set a precedent for not only this valley but also the many other surrounding rural areas, potentially having a compounding effect on the scenic amenity of the region. The proposed development far from meets the requirements for enhancement of character and visual amenity while protecting the significant scenic and landscape values of the area.
Currently this development will not be put to general public consultation and a concerned group of residents have formed together to highlight the numerous issues that this development will bring to Sunshine Coast, if it is not sited in an appropriate location.
They are requesting that if anyone shares these concerns, that they raise them immediately to the attention of Sunshine Coast Council ([email protected] - reference “ MCU18/0238”) along with Division 9 Cr Steve Robinson ([email protected]). They would also like to thank you for your concern & support!