THE RESIDENTS OF ILLUKA STREET, BUDERIM AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS ARE 100% SUPPORTIVE OF HOSPICES ON THE SUNSHINE COAST BUT NOT ON THE CURRENTLY PROPOSED SITE.

We MUST let council know that the community MOST affected by this development DO NOT WANT this approved. It is totally inappropriate for the location and does not comply with the local Buderim plan. This build is a MEDIUM DENSITY BUILD and approval will set PRECEDENCE for more unsuitable, medium density developments in future for this low-density community.

We have until TUESDAY 17th September to submit our objections to council.

• We have offered to work with council to help Sunshine Hospice find a more suitable location but the developer refuses to compromise - they promised to work with the community but are completely ignoring our concerns and pushing ahead.
• A lot of misleading information has been presented by the media, keeping the wider community uninformed and leaving the local residents, who are informed, without a voice.
• Sunshine Hospice are promoting a "peaceful home away from home", "a quiet place", "surrounded by natural bushland, wildlife including kangaroos and landscaped areas, providing a serene ambience" - but this is what they are taking away from hundreds of residents by clearing 3184m2 of native habitat - a natural corridor for native wildlife.
• Sunshine Hospice has updated us about the reported storage of medical supplies. The managing director states that they put equipment (not medical supplies), such as hospital beds and hoists, in storage prior to the Katie Rose Cottage Hospice (in Doonan) reopening as a separate Hospice, following the toxic board split. These medical supplies were donated to Katie Rose Cottage Hospice and some may consider the removal and storage of the items, not intended for Sunshine Hospice, as theft.
• We implore council to purchase this land under the Environmental Levy or establish a Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA) with Unity Water - endangered Buderim Holly is growing on adjoining properties.

By signing this petition, you will be agreeing to the following objections:

I object to the proposed Sunshine Hospice development at 7-15 Illuka Street, Buderim 4556 because:

1.     This site was originally zoned 'Community Facilities' specifically for a water facility, not any other form of development that ignores this antecedent and, the important ecology and low-residential context with important pockets of bushland as stated in the Buderim local plan. The area is host to a significant number of important flora and fauna, many native to the Sunshine Coast Region.

2.     There will be significant increases of traffic (132 movements according to Table 4.4 in the MCU Noise Impact Assessment) through all access streets, including an Environmental Management and Conservation Zone crossed by the only two end-point access streets, into a narrowed street section and cul-de-sac, thus increasing safety risk to residents and wildlife. Also resulting in on-street parking on a street that is not designed for an increased parking load. The amount/type of traffic has been underestimated and contradictory in their reporting. There is a strong sense of community - reliant on the peaceful, safe environment surrounded by nature, which brings much wellbeing to the dynamic people who live here - we do not want to see this fractured. 

3.     The site is an important, ecologically sensitive area integral to the functionality of the surrounding area of vegetation and wildlife of Buderim and the broader region. The site contains koala habitat and there are a number of endangered species on/close proximity to or within a 2km radius of the site, including koalas, the black glossy cockatoo, and reticulated (Buderim) holly. Two creeks and wetlands immediately below the site are important water sources for wildlife, including our local kangaroo population. 

4.     The reports only consider the immediate context of the site itself and fail to account for a holistic representation of the broader area, necessary for ecological ‘connectivity’ and sustainability of the Sunshine Coast Region - functionality of areas of connectivity only remains when the ecological areas are kept to above a certain size, i.e., not further fractured/reduced.

5.     The plan has a vegetation covenant area over the entire site except for the building and a 10m defendable buffer zone for bushfire. However, there are breaches of the relevant covenant legislation by means of a fire exit pathway (removal of mid-storey vegetation) and an overlapping/competing boundary for an access easement and a linear bushland reserve (corridor), which covers the Unity Water pipe that supplies the town water for the entirety of Sippy Downs. It is highly likely that Unity Water would need to repair/maintain this pipe at some point in the future and hence, covenant vegetation would need to be cleared along the corridor, again breaching legislation. This “open access issue” is largely due to the unwillingness of the developer to reduce the footprint of the build.

6.     There are concerns regarding the sustainability of Sunshine Hospice. The Hospice network in SE Queensland have advised that funding from Government, DVA, and private health funds does not provide enough revenue to meet the daily operational costs of running a Hospice. An inability to raise enough revenue may result in delayed, multiple stages of the build (years); affect it’s continued operation; and lead to possible lack of regeneration of lost habitat - a requirement after the build phase is complete.