A DEVELOPER’S uphill battle to build a $100 million escarpment resort has plateaued with a major change in Sunshine Coast Council’s view on the proposal.
Council officers have recommended Heidi Meyer and her husband Kim Carroll’s application to build Badderam Eco Luxe Resort and Spa on their Buderim property be approved ahead of a councillors’ vote scheduled for next Thursday.
It comes after the council’s officers last year recommended the proposal be refused.
Mrs Meyer said she and her husband had spent about $8.5 million of their retirement fund on progressing their dream, having bought the Box St site in 2014.
“There is a lot of risk in that and there is a lot of personal passion in that for us,” Mrs Meyer said.
Their proposal , lodged three-and-a-half years ago, conflicted with the council’s planning laws, with the development clashing with the property’s rural zoning.
Concerns had previously been raised by the council on issues including landslip risks, vegetation clearing and building heights.
Proposal changes since then have included reducing the number of suites from 125 to 111.
The council officers’ recommendation for approval comes with conditions including the resort must have a five-star or higher luxury rating and a achieve a six-star Green Star rating from the Green Council of Australia.
The 158 conditions also included a lengthy list of geotechnical and landscaping requirements.
“We were 100 per cent certain of the geotech(nical aspects) before we set out and that has been proven now with two council reviews,” Mrs Meyer said.
She said being a 42-year-old female developer had been very challenging in a male-dominated Coast industry.
“There has not been a lot of support for the fact that I am a female leading this project and I have felt really prejudiced but I have also felt really excited to be able to be successful at this and actually share with other females who would like to be in development.
“I feel excited to set an example of how development can be done in our region when there are more females at the helm.”
Mrs Meyer said she was excited about next week’s vote.
She said the tourism dollars brought in by the development would benefit Buderim and the wider area.
“What Buderim gets is a huge asset and so does the region.”
She said the resort would target a high-end, international market of people like business executives.
“We are trying to create an exclusive nest which is inclusive of the community.”
She said the spa would be publicly available with off-peak rates and there would be opportunities for functions and events.
“We don’t want to pull business from the cafes in the village. We want to give business to the village.”
She said she would be sad if the proposal was voted down.
“Not for ourselves at all because we will keep living.
“We can sell our land holdings here, achieve good value for them and move on.
“We will still be okay but the Buderim community, will they be okay?”
Mrs Meyer said she loved Buderim and would possibly stay in the area.
She said her team would get work started on the expected four-year build as soon as possible if the proposal was approved.
Cr Ted Hungerford said he had three meetings planned with residents this weekend to discuss the proposal.
He said his vote would take into account the feedback he received.
“I will be conferring with them and getting their opinions,” Cr Hungerford said.
Source: www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au