Reports obtained through Right to Information by Coolum & North Shore Coast Care are scathing of Sekisui’s turtle impact assessment and lighting report reinforcing concerns regarding the significant risks posed  by this inappropriate development.

Instead of being readily accessible, it took a Right to Information application by a community group to access information key to the assessment of Sekisui’s contentious application for intensive, high-density residential development on this sensitive Yaroomba site.  It also continues to speak volumes of the planning conflicts inherent in this proposal and the significant impacts and risk it represents to an endangered species.  Apart from being a fundamentally flawed and ‘meaningless’ report for the proponent, it only considered the small hotel aspect of the plans, not the dominant residential component of around 750 dwellings and associated population.

That Sekisui has been unwilling to refer its project under Federal environment legislation (the EPBC Act) suggests they are not sufficiently committed to their obligations to ensure no impacts occur on this important loggerhead turtle population and vital nesting beach.

Scientific evidence demonstrates there is no such thing as ‘turtle friendly lighting.‘ Human inference also affects species viability and habitat conditions. Conditions of approval are no substitute for the necessary avoidance of impact.

It is ironic and increasingly objectionable that as we marked Threatened Species Day during this Biodiversity Month, we see questionable projects being pushed when they pose significant and unacceptable risk to endangered species right here in our very own ‘biodiversity hot-spot.’  

To access the report, please press here