General News
23 April, 2024
Ghetto to be transformed into $12m villa project
THE former Manunda ghetto – Three Sistas – is being turned into a $12 million upmarket boutique residential subdivision by developer Tom Hedley.
Mr Hedley told Cairns Local News that he was in the final stages of demolishing the old rundown villas on the McLachlan St site with plans to start constructing 30 villas on 15 lots covering nearly a hectare as soon as possible.
“We are in the process of demolition, clearing it all off and tidying up the place and making it nice and presentable,” he said.
“I hope I will get a pat on the back for the project.
“They will be nice villas, three and four bedrooms, and we are in the process of sorting out conditions with the council and that should be done in the next week.”
Mr Hedley said he was hoping to finish the demolition in the next two to three weeks and have two villas built straight away.
He said the project would be done in four stages but he was yet to price the villas.
A Cairns Regional Council spokesman said the property in McLachlan St was sold by the former owners via an expressions of interest process and settled on April 2, 2024.
He said there was a current development application over the site, which was being assessed by the council.
According to the council development application the lots would all have a minimum size of 600sqm and would have frontage to both McLachlan St and MacDonnell St.
“The site was originally developed for tourist accommodation, as the 68-unit Plaza Palms Motel and received approval for a retirement village in 2004,” it said.
“In 2010 a further development approval was granted by council for the use of the site for the purpose of special residential accommodation, which included an additional 20 units.
“Despite the various approvals, the development on the site has remained as 68 self-contained multiple dwelling units/retirement units, with a central facilities building and communal recreation areas.
“In recent times the site has fallen into a state of disrepair and has been secured from trespassing.
“It is proposed to demolish the existing structures on the site and reconfigure the land to create 15 residential lots with areas of a minimum of 600sqm and with dual frontages.”
“Under CairnsPlan 2016, the site is identified in the medium density residential zone.”
The application, prepared by RPS Group, recommends the application “for approval subject to reasonable and relevant conditions”.
The overcrowded short term accommodation complex gained infamy as a centre of street crime, substance abuse and violence.
Nearby residents fought for years for authorities to crackdown on the property which was eventually shut down in 2020, residents evicted and the property secured against trespassers.
