"The development assessment process is broken - and it is deliberately broken"
Listen to  Professor Bob Pressey's talk at the  Ninney Rise 'Celebrating the Past and Influencing the Future'  forum
at Ninney Rise on 14th October.

CCRC approves 'popular' development at Bingil Bay
​Councillors vote to undermine local and state planning  in favour of short term perceived economic gain. 
CCRC ignores public opinion
Ratepayers foot the bill as CCRC waive developer contribution to infrastructure upgrade 
CCRC ignores public call for conditions to address the impact of extra traffic 
​on the cassowary and amenity of the Bingil Bay village

A death by a thousand cuts

Senior planner Byron Jones told the meeting
both applications failed to meet council's planning criteria
but recommended they be approved because of the significant economic benefits they brought to the Cassowary Coast region.
 Mr Jones's report about the distillery proposal acknowledged
the development is inconsistent with certain provisions of the Cassowary Coast Regional Council Planning Scheme 2015 and the Far North Queensland Regional Plan 2009- 2031.
The development is for an "urban purpose" while the FNQRP plan includes
​"lands that have regional landscape rural production or other non urban values, and
protects these areas from encroachment by inappropriate development,
particularly urban or rural residential development"
Click on map below to read Mission Beach Cassowaries submission on this development proposal
This is a classic case of government decision making undermining the  public consultation process contributing to a
death by a thousand cuts
of the natural environment and community amenity .
The CCRC have determined to be a council  that will place economic development ahead of long term planning based on public input
regardless of how inconsistent a development proposal is with the  local and state planning schemes. 

​
What commitment do the current Cassowary Coast Regional councilors have
​to respect and protect our most valuable economic asset, the natural environment ?

Bingil Bay (Craft) Distillery development
Great idea - wrong location

 Be informed
Read the development application here
​ Make informed comment
MCU17/0001 - Proposal for a Development Application for a Material Change of Use for Undefined Use (Craft Distillery), on land described as Lot 4 on RP747211, situated at Butler Road, Bingil Bay
The public notification period is 11 August 2017 to 1 September 2017.

The Bingil Bay Distillery development proposal

Read the development application here 
The developers, Paul and Lynda Williams are  happy to  answer any questions regarding their proposal.
​
 Call Paul on 0428724310

​ The Planning Scheme, Local Amenity and Cassowaries in the Landscape

Bingil Bay (Craft) Distillery development
Great idea - wrong location


Bill Honeywell bought his house block in Butler Road, Bingil Bay because of its locality and amenity within the residential area of the Bingil Bay village. 

A development is being proposed in his neighbourhood that will require a change to the intent of the Planning Scheme to be located within an Environmental Conservation Management Area opposite a small residential area on a short dead end dirt road.

Bill does not want to live opposite an imposing industrial/commercial activity that will increase, dust, noise, traffic etc, associated with a successful tourist attraction.

The Planning Scheme shows this locality to be an inappropriate location for an industrial/commercial development.

Local Planning Schemes are developed locating residential, commercial, industrial, business and natural areas etc, to guide future growth with a vision to retain special character and amenity of an area

The CCRC Planning Scheme states;
‘Regardless of scale, all tourism and nature-based tourism development will only be undertaken in a way and in locations that ensures the development does not detract from the environmental values, scenic values, coastal values and town/village character that attracts visitors to the Region’.
 
The Local Council signed off on the new Cassowary Coast Planning Scheme. If they now make decisions ignoring the strategic intent of the Plan, the long term outcome will result in ad hoc development placed in inappropriate locations which will incrementally and ultimately destroy the special natural character and amenities of the Mission Beach villages.

This approach to development approval is described as ‘A death by a thousand cuts’.

Sustainable economic future for Mission Beach is reliant on sustainable land use particularly within environment conservation management and village residential areas.

Residents need to have confidence in their local government to make decisions that are consistent with the intent of the Planning Scheme or the vacant block next to you could be the next site targeted for inappropriate development within a residential area.

There is overwhelming support for a boutique style (craft) distillery as a tourist attraction but not at the location being proposed.

Please support Bill and village amenity of  Bingil Bay by lodging a submission to the CCRC asking for this development to  be refused at the proposed location.

Local residents are concerned a  material change of use to allow industrial activities in the natural and quiet village amenity of the Bingil Bay residential neighbourhood will:
  • Attract unacceptable Increase of traffic on narrow winding roads through an area with a high population of cassowaries and through Bingil Bay village.
  • ​Not be able to adequately address effluent disposal due to soil type and proximity to creek.
  • Create traffic congestion at the road junction/access to the proposed development 
  • Introduce imposing (out of character) industrial style buildings with no set back in the residential neighbourhood
  • Destroy the peace and quiet amenity of the neighbourhood
  • Increase noise from industrial and associated activities
  • increase dust from additional traffic
  • introduce light pollution​

A full understanding of the whole of development impacts on the natural and quiet amenity of  Bingil Bay Village, the Bingil Bay Reserve Cassowary Corridor and realistic estimates of traffic increase need to be produced before any material change of use of the Planning Scheme is considered.

​Below is a summary how this development conflicts with the CCRC Planning Scheme.
The proposed development of a Craft Distillery somewhere in the Greater Mission Beach Area is generally supported. However, the proposed location at Butler Road, Bingil Bay is not an appropriate or suitable location for the establishment of a Craft Distillery and is certainly not supported in the Cassowary Coast Planning Scheme 2015, as follows:
·           Strategic Framework -The site of the proposed Craft Distillery is located in the Protected Areas designation and not within a Village Activity Centre designation or within the Greater Mission Beach Local Plan (GMBLP) area, where urban forms of development are intended to occur.
·         The proposed development is in conflict with some of the Strategic Outcomes in the Settlement Pattern, Natural Environment and Economic Development themes of the Strategic Framework.
·         Zoning - The proposed site of the Craft Distillery is not located in the Township zone. It is located in the Environmental Management and Conservation Zone and outside the GMBLP area, where this form of development is not contemplated and supported.
·         Codes – In conflict with relevant provisions of the Zone Code and the Environmental Significance Code, as follows:-
REQUIRED 
20 metre setback to site frontage
PROVIDED
Zero setback and landscaping on road reserve to offset zero setback

REQUIRED
10 metre side boundary setback
PROVIDED
Minimal setback western boundary

REQUIRED
Maximum 400m2 Gross Floor Area
PROVIDED
Maximum 963m2 Gross Floor Area

REQUIRED
Not located in an area of High Environmental Significance (HES
PROVIDED
Located in an area of HES
 ​
​If you wish to make comment send email by COB Friday 1st September to; 
[email protected]
​cc your submission to;
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]​

Include reference to; 
RE; MCU17/0001 - Proposal for Material Change of Use for Undefined Use (Craft Distillery), on land described as Lot 4 on RP747211, situated at Butler Road, Bingil Bay

.