Russell Island Eco-Resort Approved
Source: Bayside Bulletin
The plans have been in the pipeline for three years, but developer Gary Rose reduced the height of the tallest buildings from four to three storeys to clear the final planning hurdle.
The Tenanne Street resort will be smaller than a separate $185 million resort proposal being championed by Russell Island-based developer Canaipa Developments, which has launched legal action after the council rejected its development application in April.
Both developers hope to transform the peaceful Russell Island into a popular tourist destination in the heart of Moreton Bay and create jobs for locals.
The approved resort, to be built near Kibbinkibbinwa Point, includes 20 separate apartment buildings - 14 two-storey cabins and six three-storey buildings with a combined total of 84 apartments.
Proposed four-storey buildings were shelved after the former council granted the developer a preliminary approval in February on the condition that buildings would not appear above the tree line when viewed from Moreton Bay.
Mr Rose said the "ecologically responsible" project would create a unique tourism destination for visitors and thanked Mayor Melva Hobson and councillors for "having the vision to support this project".
Division 5 (Bay Islands) Councillor Barbara Townsend, one of two councillors to vote against the development, said she believed there were still too many unanswered questions.
"The issues for me are height, the amount of development on the site, transport and traffic, the inclusion of walkways into areas previously unsupported by council and the adequacy or otherwise of the stormwater disposal areas," she said.
But Mr Rose said the resort would have minimal impact on the environment and was subject to extensive investigative reports, with footpaths and boardwalks being confined to cleared areas in locations approved by the Department of Natural Resources and Water.
"Council officers concurred that issues relating to building height, traffic and transport have been adequately answered," he said.
Voting to approve the development last week were Crs Wendy Boglary (Div. 1), Craig Ogilvie (Div. 2), Debra Henry (Div. 3), Peter Dowling (Div. 4), Murray Elliott (Div. 7), Kathy Reimers (Div. 8), Karen Williams (Div. 9) and Mayor Melva Hobson. Voting against were Cr Townsend and Deputy Mayor Toni Bowler.
The 4.8-hectare property at 56 Tenanne Street is zoned as conservation and rural non-urban.
