Cancellation of Sekisui House approval

MEDIA RELEASE - 9 MAY 2024

Development Watch Inc, Friends of Yaroomba Inc and the Sunshine Coast Environment Council Inc will be celebrating this weekend after notification on Council’s development that the approval to construct a high density development in buildings up to 7 storeys on the beachside at Yaroomba has been cancelled. This was done at the request of the new owners Dennis Family Corporation, under their company Beachside Yaroomba Land Pty Ltd.

Development Watch President Lynette Saxton said “Whilst Dennis Family Corporation may have their own reasons for cancelling the approval, it is nevertheless, a wonderful outcome for the community.

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.”

Lynette went on to say “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. 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 Yaroomba region. Lynette said “Coolum/Yaroomba can take its fair share of density without the necessity to increase building heights, provided supporting infrastructure is in place.

Lynette said “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.

Jim Moore of Friends of Yaroomba said “We would like to acknowledge the generosity and strength of the community who fought hard to give the town plan the importance it deserves. It is the local community that has the most intimate relationship with its environs and we hope this is respected and upheld in future planning schemes”.

And the Sunshine Coast Environment Council welcomes this positive outcome for the environment and the community. “The cancellation of this contentious approval means the future of endangered marine turtles, the coastal environment and natural amenity of this special place, is more secure” said SCEC’s Narelle McCarthy.

“Yaroomba and its amazing community who fought so incredibly hard to protect the values of this coastal jewel, should never be subjected to such intensive and inappropriate development ever again” Narelle said.

ENDS

For more information, read the Sunshine Coast Council's media release.

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