Stockland’s Turbulent Twin Waters West Fronts Council

A decision on Stockland’s controversial Sunshine Coast residential development will be made by council on Thursday.

The development of Twin Waters West in the Maroochydore suburb of Pacific Paradise is more than a decade in the making and has sparked significant community interest.

The first stages of Stockland’s plans for the 104 hectare site—alongside the Sunshine Motorway between the Maroochy River and David Low Way—were to reconfigure four lots into 182 lots including 168 dwellings, new road and parks.

The overall plans for Twin Waters West included 584 residential lots, two apartment towers with 180 dwellings between them, community facilities including a place of worship and 26 hectares of open space.

Following concerns raised by the state government, Stockland amended the application by removing the apartment towers ahead of council’s decision.

Council officers have recommended approval for the development site to have up to 645 homes and no multiple dwelling units.

The approval would also see council receive $10.2 million for infrastructure charges to compensate for population growth in the area.

Stockland originally proposed 950 residential lots in the area in 2009, however this scheme was refused by council and eventually dismissed by the Planning and Environment Court 2013.

A revised conceptual master plan with between 650 and 700 lots and a waterway similar to the existing Twin Waters Estate was designed when the new Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme was released in 2014.

The latest application was lodged in 2018 and during the public notification period received 417 submissions, with 132 supporting and 285 against the proposal.

Those opposing the development said they were concerned about issues including impacts on water quality in the wetlands and river, the environment, the heritage site called Settler’s Park and flooding.

It has been a turbulent year for the ASX-listed company that withdrew its full-year guidance due to uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 which had seen retail spending drop during the second quarter.

Despite this, Stockland has moved forward in other facets of the company, with house sales improving back to pre-Covid levels, and the recent approval of a 29-storey tower in Epping, Sydney.