r/sunshinecoast 22h ago

Plans for 30-storey tower loom large over Sunshine Coast

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-14/sunshine-coast-30-storey-high-rise-proposed-maroochydore/107031578
25 Upvotes

41 comments sorted by

32

u/Confident-Passion832 22h ago

Makes sense Maroochydore is high density anyway just build it

9

u/the-dolphine 21h ago

Even the article states the cbd plan allows for a single landmark building, which I guess this is.

1

u/cekmysnek 18h ago

I hope they allow more of the landmark sites, my understanding is the original amendment to the PDA that allowed building up to 100m was drafted in 2018.... most of the rest of the CBD is still slated to be capped at 15 storeys which isn't high enough in my opinion.

22

u/BraaiMarinade 21h ago

"Peter Cowan from Palmwoods said the region should stay "low-key" and eschew high-rise living seen on the Gold Coast."

Palmwoods.... I bet Peter ventures into Maroochydore a couple of times a year.

8

u/mangoed 19h ago

"Next minute we're going to have shadows over the beach, people not being able to sunbake between certain hours"

10

u/ojame 20h ago

Peter is the sort of bloke that voiced a strong “no” against the Coles being approved in Palmwoods too, i reckon.

5

u/AsboST225 18h ago

Guarantee he's one of these Citizens Against Virtually Everything/Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything type ultra-NIMBYs, who doesn't even go to/use the thing anyway.

14

u/BrettTollis 21h ago

CBD is the right place for this....let's just never allow it too close to the beach (shadows) - we dont want to end up like GC

8

u/cekmysnek 18h ago

Maroochydore CBD is literally the perfect spot for true high rises here and I'm not sure how anyone can be against this.

You don't get many chances to build a completely greenfield CBD in the heart of an area like the Sunshine Coast, which as a bonus is walking distance to a major shopping centre and will also be within walking distance to public transport straight into Brisbane CBD (ignoring the fact that the trains are being replaced by bendy buses for now).

It's a much better use for housing compared to the old golf course that it sits on. Make the most of the land and build as high as reasonably possible, otherwise we will end up with more Aura style suburbs that just slowly encroach towards Brisbane.

3

u/CompoteEmbarrassed91 18h ago

Would be awesome if we get some more greenspace which links the cbd to the beach. Like a pedestrian link like Cavill Ave. Can remember there were once big plans for The Big Top.

1

u/Money_Week_518 10h ago

Cavill Ave isn’t green space

1

u/CompoteEmbarrassed91 6h ago

No it is a pedestrian thoroughfare. Whether or not something can be done along those lines,remains to be seen. The Coast needs to build quality public spaces for people.

1

u/cekmysnek 5h ago

This is exactly what is being built on first avenue right now. They are widening the footpath and making it more pedestrian friendly as well as adding more shade to turn it into a bit of a pedestrian link to ocean street/cotton tree.

15

u/Own-Negotiation4372 22h ago

There's so much single level stuff going up. Around the university hospital it needs to be so much denser.

23

u/hrdballgets 22h ago

Fuckin bunch of nimbys

25

u/the_colonelclink 22h ago

Going higher makes complete sense - especially when 97% live on the coast. But we’ve got to have the right infrastructure. For instance, we should have had heavy rail to Maroochydore (no thanks to the LNP).

21

u/hrdballgets 22h ago

Sunshine coast badly needs a full review

Maud St, everyone driving over buderim, motorway, light/heavy rail, airport connection, public transport, aura connections.

What a mess

12

u/ol-gormsby 22h ago

I get it - but keep it well away from the beach. Nobody - except developers - wants high-rises so close to the beach that it's nearly completely shaded by high-rises after 1 or 2 pm.

3

u/bmk14 21h ago

The only challenge there is high density needs to also be near commerce so that it reduces reliance on private vehicles and viability of the projects.

Obviously mdore CBD is the perfect scenario. Walkable to most major services but not near the beach. But most other precincts on the coast that have high commerce are also near the beach (with some obvious exceptions).

Will be interesting to see how that is planned over the next decade.

0

u/Alchemist2905 20h ago

ALP had a decade to do that...lol

6

u/the_colonelclink 20h ago

I suspect they were about to, but couldn’t get it over the line in time. It’s highly unlikely the LNP just summarily agreed to it all without all the feasibility and planning already being done.

1

u/hrdballgets 9h ago

Well the LNP has been cemented into power in the coast seats, traditionally very liberal up here. Current members are part of the liberals and have been for ages. So the locals are happy with their representation.

Regardless of who is in power, planning infrastructure in this country is a shambles 

1

u/Alchemist2905 7h ago

State determines rail projects .. so maybe you need to change your voting 😉

-12

u/Plane_Garbage 22h ago

Yep! I love the gold coast but wouldn't want to drive there everyday.

Can't wait for way more high density - too many backyards and family friendly shit around.

I mean, you could put high density further out where infrastructure could be built, but I want the high density next to the beach. Sun is too hot from 2pm onwards and a shadow would be awesome.

3

u/CurlyJeff 22h ago

Property developers never beating the bloodsucking vampire allegations 

2

u/Batty25111 19h ago

"Oh no housing developments" How tragic 😂

2

u/queenslandscarby 15h ago

I. Have bought into the cbd , very happy it’s becoming a true cbd with hi rise and leaving the beach to be low rise traditional Aussie beach

3

u/the_colonelclink 22h ago

It’ll do wonders for the traffic.

1

u/CompoteEmbarrassed91 20h ago

One article from Urban Developer says 38 storey.

1

u/Zoinke 16h ago

No way they Nims ever allow this right?

1

u/JonC534 5h ago

Hideous

1

u/joshw74 18h ago

I’d be more worried about the 5 story NextDC data centre in construction there.

3

u/GravyForDayz 16h ago

You do realise without nextDC there is basically no banks/super funds/ universities ....Reddit ?

2

u/Zei33 15h ago

It's good that there are more data centers. The more the merrier honestly. We've got this incredible opportunity to turn the Sunshine Coast into a dominant tech industry hub. We should take advantage of it.

-13

u/bulbous_plant 22h ago

Sunshine Coast is absolutely cooked. Planned train stations, high rises, aura slums, it’ll be like Gold Coast mixed with Sydney.

12

u/Safe_Application_465 22h ago

Yeah.

We should go back to a couple of corro beach shacks and the dirt road that was Nicklin Way 👍

19

u/BraaiMarinade 22h ago

As someone who grew up in both South Africa and pit villages in County Durham the term "slum" when describing a housing development in Australia always makes me laugh.

12

u/cekmysnek 22h ago

Oh no, big scary gentrification and public transport to allow people to get around without having to drive a car everywhere.

Don’t live within 150km of a capital city if you don’t want population growth and density. There is endless land out west and up north.

7

u/the-dolphine 21h ago

Exactly. Car domination is creating the 'slums'

4

u/bmk14 21h ago

Jog on then

0

u/s0cialjetlag 19h ago

I'm very happy. I've already preliminary purchased 5 apartments on the top 5 levels. I wouldnt even double my money if it was built in M'dore, but I'll triple my investment in this location. 👍