Paradise Palms (FNQ) to close in June 2019
A NEW school, retirement village and tourist park for Cairns’ northern beaches are all being considered as part of a multimillion-dollar redevelopment plan for oParadise Palms in FNQ.
Golf will no longer be available at Paradise Palms from mid-June as resort managing director Darren Halpin prepares to lodge a development application with Cairns Regional Council to transform the Kewarra Beach 18-hole course and resort into a new housing estate.
His company, PPNQ Developments, is working with Sydney-based city planning agency Urbis to produce a comprehensive master plan for the 113ha property.
They will be undertaking community engagement to provide an update on the draft plan prior to lodging the application, via stakeholder discussions, newsletters, and information sessions.
It is hoped construction on new residential lots will be able to start in 2020.
Mr Halpin said he was planning to provide new housing options for residents, emulating the “community feel” of Edge Hill.
“Hopefully, we’ll get a development application to convert it into a residential estate,” he said.
“We’re allocating a site for a school and a tourist park – a high-end tourist resort similar to the Cairns Coconut tourist resort.”
He said a retirement village was also under consideration, in addition to new walking tracks and green open spaces.
The clubhouse, which will be repurposed, is to be the only remnant of the property’s 30-year golfing history.
Mr Halpin, who was reluctant to put a total cost on the redevelopment, said he was trying to ensure better community use of the northern beaches asset.
“At the moment, only golfers use it, and there’s 150 members here, and maybe some visitors,” he said.
“That’s all they use: 100ha of land.
“Now there’s going to be thousands of people using it annually, with local people coming to use the facilities: people walking along new walking tracks up to the clubhouse, parks for families, activation areas for entertainment and activities.”
This morning on the Talk Show they had an opportunity to speak with the Managing Director of Paradise Palms Resort Darren Halpin about some significant changes on the way. Maintaining the property as a golf resort has been an ongoing challenge, so a different direction is on the horizon. It has the real potential to become an even more valuable community asset.
