Community & Business
26 September, 2026
Developers are put on notice
EXTENSIONS to land development applications were cut short last week, after Mareeba Shire Council knocked back four requests for four-year extensions, agreeing instead to 12 months going forward.
EXTENSIONS to land development applications were cut short last week, after Mareeba Shire Council knocked back four requests for four-year extensions, agreeing instead to 12 months going forward.
Developers Cairns Plywoods Pty Ltd asked for extensions to the currency periods of four development lots on Marinelli Drive as their current approvals would run out in the coming months.
However, councillors supported a recom-mendation that each application be given a one year extension, which would be renegotiated thereafter.
A council officer explained that the development approvals went back 15 years, but nothing had been started on the sites.
While the developments were in line with council’s current Planning Scheme and Local Government Infrastructure Plan, both were being reviewed this year, and priorities could change over where development should be encouraged.
“It may be ... that this isn’t an area that we want to see or want to promote development. We might have a more efficient service area somewhere else. So I think it’s just cautious for us to just do the one year approach,” the officer said.
Outside the meeting, Mayor Angela Toppin said the reduced extensions were aimed at getting development moving.
“We need people to actually move forward and develop; we need housing in that area,” she said.
“We have to start pushing these along because I’ve seen some of these developments that have been around for so long.
“This one really should get a move along because it’s so close to town. It would be ideal.”
With changes to the planning scheme and infrastructure, it could also open up council’s negotiations on the developments’ future.
“Council may actually turn around to people and say, ‘build it, or we’re not going to give you any further extension’.” a spokesperson said.
“So it’s sort of just a little bit more pressure on them to get these developments up and running.”
The four applications made up a number of stages for the Marinelli Estate, including stages 4A and 4B approved in 2011; stage 6 approved in 2016; stages 7-10, first approved in 2014, and stages 11 – 14, approved in2014.
Access is via Marinelli Drive and Luisa Circuit, which are bitumen sealed and have kerb and channel.
Another extension application brought before council was for a subdivision along Warrill Drive in Kuranda, which received a two-year approval, instead of the requested five years, based on the fact that it was the first application it had made since it was first approved in August 2022.
Again, the reason for the reduction was because of the council review of planning and infrastructure priorities.
