COUNCIL TO RETAIN LAND FOR PENSIONERS
Today Mareeba Shire Council rejected a request from a company known as Reedlodge Pty Ltd. The developers requested that Council relinquish its trusteeship over land which has, for many years, been gazetted as a Reserve for Aged Persons’ Housing. This would effectively return the land to the Queensland Government for transfer to Reedlodge for private development.
Mayor Tom Gilmore said the transfer of gazetted land to private hands is a serious issue requiring careful consideration by Council and has made this decision with due diligence, considering all factors including the future welfare of our aged citizens and the prospect of development on the site.
“The application rejected today was not, and I repeat, NOT an application for the development of a shopping centre and there is no application before Council for such development,” Cr Gilmore said.
The decision was taken by the Council on a 4 – 3 vote; demonstrating that Councillors had given this matter long and very careful consideration. It is the understanding of Council that the land was required by Reedlodge for the enhancement of property already owned by the company.
One of the factors considered by Council in taking this vote was that the application for the transfer of land was unsupported by material provided to Council by the developer.
The developer’s property, which is the old Rankine Sawmill site has previously had two successful applications for shopping centres by Reedlodge; the first having been overturned in the planning court on a technicality and the second being allowed to lapse by the developer, for reasons known only to themselves. Therefore the proposed shopping centre development did not proceed.
The land in question is zoned commercial in the Mareeba Town Planning Scheme and considering past history, there appears to be no impediment to the developer moving immediately to seek approval for the construction of a shopping centre, should they so choose, within the bounds of their property.
Mayor Tom Gilmore, who voted against the application, told the Council that in his view nothing of sufficient substance had been presented by the developer to Council in support of this application for the land, and numerous requests for further information were, to the greater part, denied by the developer.
Cr Gilmore said that in conclusion, the majority of the Council felt strongly that the land which has been set aside to take care of the housing needs of the aged in our community ought to remain under the trusteeship of Council and utilised for its gazetted purpose.
HEALTHY FUTURE FOR MAREEBA
In 2014, Council approved a development application on Karobean Drive which included a medical centre, supermarket, specialty shop and restaurant. Today Council voted in favour of changes made to the development for Stages 2 and 3.
The amended Stage 2 will provide additional business (medical support uses) floor space, a café and a pharmacy and would develop the Amaroo Village Shopping Centre into a full service health care precinct. Stage 3 will consist of a supermarket, restaurant and one specialty shop.
NEW RESTAURANT COMES TO TOWN
The secret is out. Council today approved a liquor licence application by restaurant owner Secret Recipe Pty. Ltd. who intends to open a Thai restaurant on Byrnes Street Mareeba.
The liquor licence will complement the service of meals in the new restaurant and may extend over a footpath dining area, subject to the applicant obtaining the necessary outdoor dining approval from Council.
BUILDING APPROVALS ON THE RISE
The past three quarters have shown a steady increase in building approvals. $13.5 million worth of buildings was approved this quarter in comparison to the same quarter last year, $13.2 million.