2005-05-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

Airlie Beach protest and Rally to save public land from development of multi-story hotel, gaming club and alcohol sales on edge of AIrlie Beach lagoon

2005-05-13T23:01:00.000-07:00

NO development on Public Land Mr Beattie

Save Airlie Beach's Lagoon foreshore

2005-05-13T22:18:00.000-07:00

UPDATE ON AIRLIE BEACH "SAVE OUR FORESHORE"

With development objections exceeding 1500 to the application by multi-national hotel group Outrigger, development group FKP and liquor/gaming operator EUMUNDI Ltd, Airlie Beach residents and tourists are sending a clear message to local and Stage governments that this private commercial development on their public parkland is a dead issue and must not go ahead.

Despite public support in a community consultation process for low-key, environmentally sustainable recreational uses for this public parkland (Vision Airlie), State Government and Local Government dumped community needs in favour of a massive multi-story 125 strata-titled apartment hotel, incorporating retail outlets, gaming club and liquor sales, intruding right into the alcohol free, family friendly waterfront Lagoon area. It also proposes to cover over Airlie Creek and re-donate this land back to the public to compensate for massive loss of open space in the development site.

Giving this development consortium "preferred developer status" in a process that is likely to come under scrutiny in a Planning Court appeal, State Government and the Whitsunday Shire Council ('The Partners") are going against their own policies for use of this type of public land.

"The process has been clouded in secrecy and FOI requests for information have met with a blanket refusal. It is quite clearly an public-land grab for one of the best pieces of real estate on the coast", spokesperson for the group Suzette Pelt says.

"The community is not going to be silent and allow a piece of iconic public land to be developed in a way that is significantly in conflict with the town planning scheme, State uses for the land and new planning schemes and visions for the Whitsundays which are underway at the moment. The developers even claim they need this foreshore land because the development "is dependent on immediate proximity to the coast for its commercial viability".

SAVE OUR FORESHORE Inc has just launched a basic website: www.saveourforeshore.com More information will be available soon, but you can email your objections to the group which will be forwarded to the local Council.

Save Our Foreshore

Save Airlie Beach's Lagoon foreshore