Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I wish to bring to the chamber an interesting issue in my electorate, which, as everyone knows, is situated on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. It is an issue involving the local Horton Park golf course, which is situated very near to the major business hub of the region, Maroochydore. It is actually only a short stone’s throw from the car park beside my electorate office. As is regularly the case with major infrastructure items such as parks and airports, urban sprawl eventually catches up and engulfs a facility. Airports are a classic example. Most often they are initially located well away from built-up areas but as time goes on new developments spread further outwards and eventually the airport finds itself surrounded by homes. Then it becomes a noise problem for those residents, who then campaign to have the airport removed.

The Horton Park golf course has experienced a similar phenomenon. The 53-hectare site is today completely surrounded by commercial areas, residential neighbourhoods, the Sunshine Motorway and a large vacant block that is destined for a major residential development. Headlines in the local newspaper reveal that major developers have approached the golf club board to purchase the land, valued at between $75 and $100 million. Council is currently investigating and revisiting the boundaries of the Maroochydore central business district. With the golf course site being so close to the main commercial precinct of the CBD, it is possible it may well meet criteria for a development such as high-rise buildings. The region I represent is experiencing considerable population growth and we are one of the fastest growing areas in the country. There has been ongoing debate over whether the Maroochy Shire Council should accommodate the influx of new residents by allowing high-rise that goes beyond the 10- to 12-storey limits, or whether urban sprawl should be encouraged so as not to detract from the region’s amenity.

Maroochy council’s planning committee chairman, Councillor Steve Dickson—the Liberal candidate for Kawana—has suggested that any developments on the golf course site should include significant areas of green open space. I think that is a sensible suggestion and it is something that ought to be considered by the council as it looks at this development. It is important, however, to make sure that council does not unilaterally victimise the members of the Horton Park golf club by imposing unreasonable conditions on any development. It is important to look at this site very carefully. It is a very important site, it is an opportunity for proper planning and I do hope that it is possible to incorporate substantial green areas of open space in any development. I thank the chamber.

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