Third Time Lucky for Stockland’s Twin Waters

Stockland’s Twin Waters West masterplan has been recommended for approval by the Sunshine Coast Council. 

The 450-home development has been in the works for the past five years and had been rejected on two previous occasions.

In a three-hour meeting, councillors were told that the previous two refusals were upheld by the Planning and Environment Court and that the latest plans had been “scrutinised a thousand times over”.

Stockland had pared back the plans considerably from its initial iterations of more than 1000 homes put forward in 2018 and then, in 2020, more than 700 homes.

The greenfield developer was applying for preliminary approvals for material change of use for the site to establish its Twin Waters West residential community as well as a variation on the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014.

During debate, councillors argued a number of points including the issues of building on and near floodplains, protecting heritage mangrove habitats, kangaroo habitat preservation, and the buffer between the development and the Sunshine motorway and waterways.

The latest plans provide a minimum lot size of 500sq m, with 1ha  of community facilities and 30.9ha of open space, which includes three parks and a walkable waterfront network. 

In this latest iteration, submitted in May, concessions were made including adding a constructed water body with a $3.84-million sinking fund to cover council’s costs for 80 years, kangaroo habitats and a 50m-minimum buffer around wetlands.

Unlike previous attempts, Stockland had community support with 130 submissions opposed to the development and 255 in support.

Sunshine Coast principal development planner Stefan Martin recommended approval, which was passed by a majority vote.

Councillors were quick to highlight that the preliminary approval would only be a guide to the future of the site rather than a deemed approval. 

▲ Stockland is also forging ahead with the $5 billion, 20,000-home Aura estate, on which is started construction in 2015.

The extensive 105hasite straddles a number of addresses at De Vere Road, 230 Godfreys Road, 232-284 Godfreys Road, Settlers Park Ocean Drive and 581-593 David Low Way, Pacific Paradise and 23 Stillwater Drive, Twin Waters.

The majority of the area has been zoned emerging community since 2018.

The Sunshine Coast has been aware of its land and homes crisis for many years, a crisis that has only intensified with an influx of people to south-east Queensland during and after the pandemic.

As a result, the Sunshine Coast Council is preparing a new planning scheme that will replace the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014, setting out a vision for the region for 2046, and to guide growth and development to achieve that vision.

This week the council reported that plan had been sent to the state government for review. 

Also on the Sunshine Coast, Stockland has also lodged plans for precinct 18 of its Aura Lakes housing project, a continuation of the the Aura master planned community, within the Caloundra South Priority Development Area.