A Sunshine Coast pub plans to unpave some paradise and turn some of its car park into a beer garden.
An application has been lodged with the Sunshine Coast Council for a new deck and beer garden extension to The Sands Tavern in Carnaby Street, Maroochydore, near Sunshine Plaza.
Diagrams submitted in the application show a deck of almost 54sqm on the south side of the tavern that is to be refurbished and a 450sqm beer garden extending from the eastern side of the building, which has a gross floor area of about 3000sqm.
A town planning report said the proposed upgrades and improvements were envisaged to attract a broader customer base, including families, like that of the Brightwater Hotel.
The report said the deck and beer garden would mean there was both indoor and outdoor useable space for hotel operations, and customers had wanted the option to be outside.
“The addition of an outdoor deck responds to patron demand for outdoor areas that take advantage of the Sunshine Coast sub-tropical climate,” the report said.
The new deck would extend over what is currently a car park but the report said additional parking would be provided elsewhere on the site, meaning a loss of only 13 spaces from the current 122.
The report acknowledged that under the current planning scheme, 191 spaces would be required for the tavern and the adjacent First Choice liquor outlet.
However, it said aerial monitoring showed 66 spaces occupied during the hotel’s peak hour. If the proposed extension brought 14 per cent growth, that would equate to 75 spaces, meaning there would still be a surplus of available parking.
“Provided that The Sands Tavern Maroochydore car park will provide a total of 109 spaces after the reduction of 13 spaces, the proposed … expansion will not exhaust the available car parking supply,” it said.
The report said a residential development to the east, namely the Horton Apartments, was all that was likely to be affected by any noise.
It said a noise impact assessment for the tavern found that current levels were within an acceptable range.
It said waste trucks should only access the site after 7am until 6pm, a children’s play area and quarter-size basketball court should be closed at 10pm, and amplified music for the beer garden and deck would be limited, with both closing by midnight.
It added that the number and location of any air-conditioning units could require a noise reassessment and possible noise control measures.
Queensland Venue Co, which operates The Sands Tavern, had little to add when contacted about the extension plans.
“We have submitted a development application however are still in the early stages of planning,” it said in a statement.
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