THE collapse of the company building the Eagles Retreat Place tourist cabins has left the future of the controversial development site in the hands of a new buyer.
SDA Property Nominees Pty Ltd, linked to Lee Rushton, went into voluntary liquidation on July 4, with the site immediately put up for auction.
Gary Gammon from Lloyds auctioneers said he’d had over 20 enquiries for the property at 1-11 Eagles Retreat Place, which sits on two lots totalling 2.08 hectares.
Bidding has already begun on the land and will close on August 28.
“People want to do all sorts of things: some looking for the plans to finish the house, some wanting to sell off one lot and keep one,” Gary said.
“It’s a nice quiet street surrounded by quality houses with spectacular views of the Gold Coast.”
He said interest had come mainly from Queenslanders, including some people from Tamborine Mountain.
The development application began in 2020 as a large residence and 14 cabins with central facilities.
The cabins were initially refused by Scenic Rim Regional Council, but they later supported their approval subject to them being designed for specialist disability accommodation.
Councillor Amanda Hay (prior to her election) and the Tamborine Mountain Progress Association Incorporated appealed the decision in the Planning and Environment Court.
However, the court found the development complied with the Council planning scheme.
Councillor Hay said she felt a sense of vindication after 16 months of fighting the development in court.
“I feel relieved, but the person who buys it may have an even worse idea,” she expressed.
“It will be interesting times ahead while we wait to see who purchases the property, which is now on two titles and whether the court approved specialist disability cabins will be built.
“It’s disappointing Council and the co-respondents by election spent a vast amount of time and resources in fighting this and this is the result.
“I hope whoever acquires the property proposes a more realistic and acceptable to the community development or best still just builds one house.”
Councillor Hay said the court strongly believed there was a need for disability accommodation so if it was to be turned into tourist accommodation that would be contrary to its recommendations.
She said the development highlighted some of the many issues with the Council’s planning scheme, particularly in relation to Tamborine Mountain, which she believed needs a complete overhaul.
Peter Watt, whose house borders the development, put in a submission to the court opposing it.
He said he now also felt relief the company had collapsed.
“It just depends on who buys it and what they will do with it. I don’t think it will utilise the approval for the disability cabins,” he said.
“I think the reason it fell over is because of building costs. It’s just a sink hole of money.”
Peter said the land has been slowly disintegrating for about 18 months since they closed the site down.
“I’ll be watching the auction that’s for sure to see what the bids are,” he said.
Jeannette Lockey, President of the Tamborine Mountain Progress Association said the problem now is the higher part of the land is destabilised and could cause issues in the future for neighbouring properties.
“There is nothing much you can do with the block of land. We could have told him (the developer) this would have happened in the first place,” she said of the liquidation.
“The plan didn’t allow for a water or fire truck to enter the property.
“It’s the people of Tamborine Mountain who are suffering the consequences.
“Had council been more positive and set to win, it could have won with the support of the residents.”
She said the forced closure of the Tamborine Mountain Progress Association due to the court costs awarded against it wiped out a strong community response vehicle.
