Council planning staff and former CEO Michael Whittaker appeared at-odds over conditions for a rooftop bar in the Sekisui House Yaroomba Beach proposal just weeks before its approval. Internal emails released as part of a recent Sunshine Coast Council Right to Information disclosure of more than 3000 pages revealed differing opinions over the conditioning of usage for the rooftop aspect of the proposed hotel. On May 24, 2018, Mr Whittaker requested planning staff make some improvements to the presentation to be given at a workshop with councillors about a month before they voted to approve the controversial project 6-5 in a special council meeting.
Councillors Greg Rogerson, Jason O Pray, Jenny McKay, Ted Hungerford and Rick Baberowski voted against the development on June 21, 2018. Councillors John Connolly, Christian Dickson, Steve Robinson, Tim Dwyer, Peter Cox and Mayor Mark Jamieson voted in favour.
Dickson had no knowledge of mooted refusal: Cr Dickson said his only insight into the assessment was that council planners had been concerned about a number of matters ranging from height, density, traffic, environment and resident objections . At no stage was I aware that a refusal had been proposed and reviewed by senior staff including those from Strategic Planning and Economic Development, he said.
âPeople may think that a multi high-rise development in Yaroomba will be tucked away and not cause impacts elsewhere,â Ms Hyman said.
She said the Department of Transport and Main Roads had made its approval of the Sekisui development conditional upon upgrades to the busy Beach Rd and Coolum Esp intersection at David Low Way. Save Yaroomba said there will be 11 parking spaces to go along the Coolum Beach Esplanade.
The changes were submitted in an unsuccessful Sunshine Coast Environment Council and Development Watch Planning and Environment Court appeal against the Sunshine Coast Councilâs Sekisui approval.
The decision not to allow the appeal is being challenged in the Supreme Court.