Time up for community club?

A long-standing Moreton Bay club seems set to make way for “high density and retirement” housing in the future.

Moreton Bay City Councillors have approved an development application (DA) for The Deception Bay Club in Bayview Tce, to be rezoned for residential use.

Cr Sandra Ruck (Div 5) said supporting the DA “will contribute to housing supply and diversity within Deception Bay area”.

Deception Bays Bowl Club was on the 7500sqm site from the mid-1970s until hitting financial difficulties in 2015.

Since then, it has been The Deception Bay Club - a not-for-profit run by volunteers for community groups, for such as darts and gateball.

“Residents have asked why a new club cannot be built on this site,” Cr Ruck said.

“The need for private sport and recreation land uses is, in many cases, not commercially viable and makes the site difficult to sell under the current zoning.

“If the DA is successful, the proposed uses are consistent with what is already in the surrounding area and that is mostly residential property.

“I must acknowledge many of the community groups that use the clubhouse will be severely impacted as they will have to find a new home.

“The Deception Bay Club realised the inevitability that sooner or later the club will no longer exist. These clubs want certainty for their future.”

Cr Ruck said efforts are being made to “get ahead of the game” with “suitable options” on offer to some of the user groups ... and four council halls in the area.

Mayor Peter Flannery also backed the proposal saying the site is a “very important parcel of land in Deception Bay”.

“If we are to lose sport and recreational space, we need a huge gain for the community and particularly in housing whether that is through opportunity for a retirement village or for dense housing,” he said.

Councillors unanimously approved the application for multiple dwelling, residential care facility, retirement facility, rooming accommodation, sales office and short-term accommodation.

However, dual occupancy, dwelling house and dwelling unit were dropped as “they represent an underdevelopment of the site given its size, location in proximity to open space, services, community …”