The Sunshine Coast Council appears to understand the reality of South East Queensland’s population growth and pressures on the environment, with the Deputy Mayor Tim Dwyer supporting high density living, as reported in the Sunshine Coast Daily:

ROADS will be congested and a flood of new residents will pour in, but deputy mayor Tim Dwyer has promised he will not allow Pelican Waters to be ruined.

More than 60 concerned residents from the upmarket estate yesterday told of their apprehension about an application for the Southern Lakes area that could allow three-storey townhouses to be built on blocks as small as 180sq m.

One resident said the proposal to introduce some medium and high density living areas would create a “nightmare” for Pelican Waters.

Another person described the suggestion of some three-storey townhouses on small blocks as an “absolutely insane idea”.

Cr Dwyer, who met with the residents, pointed out that the high density living style was hugely popular in some places in the world.

The Gold Coast Council, in contrast to the Sunshine Coast Council, appears to be anti-development, blocking the development of an Emerald Lakes Woolies:

Fight on for Emerald Lakes Woolies

The Gold Coast is running the risk of becoming boring, and having the Sunshine Coast attract greater attention from investors and developers.