One battle after another: Next steps for Pacific Paradise petrol station

Paradise Holdings has been fighting a a five-year planning battle for the approximately 3000m2 servo on the northern tip of 30.48 hectares of underutilised cane land situated on David Low Way, about three kilometres south of the Sunshine Coast airport. The entire hardstand area is understood to cover less than one per cent of the total site.

The development, was which was initially rejected in April 2021, has been scaled-down to address environmental, flood and amenity concerns and will deliver about 18 million litres of fuel to the market a year. The site will also feature four rapid electric vehicle charging bays.

More than 230 submissions have been received in support of the project, with 33 opposed.

The Maroochy Rivers Farmers and Landowners Association, which represents more than 200 landowners, said the servo would fill a critical need.

“This proposal provides infrastructure that has been needed in the area for many years, a modern service station and fast EV charging facilities will benefit local residents, businesses, tourists and the growing number of electric vehicle users,” the submission read.

Popular pub and restaurant, The Northshore Tavern, also made a submission in favour of the “thoughtfully” redesigned project.

“There is currently no modern service station within the local catchment that offers a comprehensive range of fuel products together with rapid EV charging infrastructure,” the submission read.

“The proposal represents a practical and appropriate use of land that has remained largely dormant as former cane land for approximately two decades.”

Foresight Partners submitted an economic analysis which highlighted a severe shortage of fuel stations in the region.

The report said there was a shortfall of 12 stations in the area, with an unmet need of 41.91m litres per annum.

It highlighted that the 70km stretch of Sunshine Motorway between Wild Horse Mountain and Noosaville was unserviced by motorway-accessible service stations, forcing motorists and heavy vehicle operators to drive further to refuel.

Australian Electric Vehicle Associations Queensland Branch member Marnix Vunderink welcomed more charging stations

“More cars will be on the road, so those charging stations will be busier, and as a result we need to build more capacity, so we definitely welcome opportunities for more stations,” Mr Vunderink said.

The initial application bid, submitted in 2021, included three fast-food outlets onsite and was refused by Sunshine Coast Council due to the flood hazards.

An appeal to the Planning and Environment Court was also unsuccessful due to the scale and intensity of the site.

A submission from the Sunshine Coast Environmental Council’s Advocacy and engagement manager, Narelle McGarthy, said the development was “not compatible with the values or constraints of the Maroochy River floodplain.”

“This proposal seeks to introduce a high-impact commercial use into a flood-prone, rural-zoned, scenic-route frontage that directly interfaces with residential properties and sits within a landscape that plays a critical role in regional hydrology, biodiversity, and climate resilience,” Ms McGarthy said.

The redesigned development has slashed the overall footprint of the site, with the gross floor area shrinking to 300 m2 from an original 1080 m2.

The developer has introduced a ‘cut-to-fill’ earthworks scheme to offset potential flood impacts and elevate the fuel infrastructure. It is understood the earthworks would not result in offsite flood impacts or loss of floodplain storage. The site would be screened by a 20-metre-deep native vegetation buffer.

The Sunshine Coast Airport has also announced plans to deliver a new petrol station for motorists in the area as part of its Gateway Precinct.

Extracted in full from:  https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/one-battle-after-another-next-steps-for-pacific-paradise-petrol-station/news-story/82d676ebbd4a1e7a9e12df88744749ba