Plans for 13-Storey Tower Filed for Sunshine Coast

Development applications for the Sunshine Coast's new greenfield $2-billion CBD are continuing to flood in, with a mixed-use tower on a 3500sq m site on its northern edge the latest. 

The development is adjacent to the Sunshine Coast Council-owned Maroochydore City Centre Project—a new 53ha central business district being built under a government gazetted designated prority development area.

The 13-storey development has been put forward by Capital 22, a private entity headed by commercial property lawyer and SunCentral secretary John Gallagher. 

SunCentral was established by the Sunshine Coast Council in early 2015 to oversee the design and delivery of the new city centre.

The prominent corner site, neighbouring the priority development area, is made up of two lots purchased for a combined $6.5 million; 132 and 134-136 Aerodrome Road.

The site is currently occupied by two retail centres—Neighbours Aid and Salvation Army Family Store—and is next to Bob Jane T-Marts.

Capital 22’s proposed project, designed by Cottee Parker, will include three levels of office space and parking for 250 cars across the building’s three-level podium as well as a communal area with a pool and terrace on the fifth level.

It will offer 100 apartments in two- and three-bedroom configurations which the developer plans to release as a mix of short- and long-term accommodation.

Sunshine Coast’s new central business district, formerly the Horton Park Golf Club, has been transforming rapidly since council paid $42 million for the sprawling site in 2011.

The under construction CBD will eventually offer 150,000sq m of commercial space and 65,000sq m of retail floorspace along with 4000 residential apartments across a number of precincts.

It will also feature a premium hotel, and a new entertainment space.

▲ The development will be at the northern “gateway entry point” of the emerging CBD. Image: Nearmap

The city centre’s first buildings include an eight-storey commercial property by local developer Evans Long and a two-tower, 150-unit residential complex, Market Lane Residences, by Brisbane’s Habitat Development Group.

The new nine-storey Sunshine Coast Regional Council headquarters building is also well advanced and being finalised by builder McNab.

In May, construction broke ground on Barwon Investment Partners‘ $100-million, 10-storey surgical hospital on Mundoo Boulevard.

Billionaire property mogul Lang Walker’s development firm Walker Corporation has filed plans for a 15-storey building at 50 First Avenue, designed for ASX-listed companies, as well as government, banking, insurance and technology sector tenants.

The project, which Walker claimed was “the single most sophisticated contribution to the commercial office market” on the Sunshine Coast, has been designed by Cox Architecture and will hold a 5-Star Green Star Rating.

Walker, and the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, also has plans for a nine-storey car parking, retail and dining mid-rise development on Market Lane.

Meanwhile, Pro-Invest Group is adding motel and retail space to the CBD in a bid to capitalise on the growing number of corporate professionals living in and visiting the region.

Construction is being completed on the Holiday Inn Express and Suites on First Ave will have 180 guest rooms, a rooftop swimming pool, bar and dining venue along with parking, retailers and conference facilities. It will open mid-year.

Prominent Sunshine Coast developer Mal Pratt is planning to build a mixed-use “groundscraper” across a 5500sq m site at 36-46 Aerodrome Road and 44-48 Parker Street.