Retirement village out, prep work underway, at planned new gated community site

Douglas housing

Shaun Hollis

Journalist

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An artist's impression of how the new gated community may end up looking, but developer Obray stresses that these plans are subject to change.
The retirement village plan, first approved in 2020, is now off the table.

There is movement at the vacant lot on Port Douglas Road between Oaks and Reef resorts - but the development will no longer be a retirement village.

The company behind the plans, Obray, has filled in the former pool at the site after recently lodging plans with Douglas Shire Council to divide the about 1.7ha site into seven large blocks, and construct a road from the access point at the Oaks Resort turn-off.

The end result is expected to become a gated community of about 40 individual allotments.

Newsport understands buyers will be sought for several of the seven large “management lots”, which will range from about 1300sq m to about 2300sq m, with a view to building a complete housing estate at the site overseen by a central corporate management body.

There are no longer any plans for a centralised communal area, which was in the former plans approved by the council in 2020.

This included a 25m lap pool, tennis courts, clubhouse with kitchen and bar area, separate leisure pool, lawn bowls green, spa, billiards room, cinema, landscaped parks and gardens, gymnasium, arts and crafts room and a men’s shed-style workshop.

The new plans, which were first flagged with the council in January and have been updated since following negotiations with the developers, are for a “gated community containing a mix of housing options ranging from standalone dwellings, villas and attached townhouses”.

Council planners have written to Obray speaking positively of the plans.

“Overall, it is considered that the proposed development is an appropriate response to the site and, subject to the imposition of reasonable and relevant conditions, Council will be able to issue a development permit for reconfiguring a lot (seven standard format lots with common property),” the DSC response states.

The development of the land, at 111-119 Port Douglas Road, Port Douglas, has been a long time coming, with the original plans for a retirement village submitted more than five years ago.

That plan was for 41 single-storey, one-and-two bedroom houses ranging from 200sq m to 350sq m, manager’s accommodation and central communal facilities.

But it is understood the developers reconsidered the plans because the site was eventually considered too small. 

The area is zoned for three-storey homes, so individual landowners may now be able to build taller constructions, subject to council approval.

The original retirement village plans were approved in December, 2020, with then mayor Michael Kerr saying a gated retirement village was perfect for the community.

“We love to see this type of investment and confidence that helps bring people to our region, stimulate our economy and build Douglas up in the post-Covid era,” Mr Kerr said.

“This is a fantastic development for our slice of paradise,” he said.

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