Cairns Regional Council will look to protect the iconic values of Douglas as part of the creation of the new Cairns Regional Council Planning Scheme.
 

The State Government developed Queensland Iconic Places legislation in 2008 in response to concerns raised prior to amalgamation about preservation of community icons.

Under the legislation, the Douglas Iconic Places Panel was created to review and advise on new development applications in the region.
 

Mayor Val Schier said Council will continue to recognise the valuable role of the Douglas Iconic Places Panel while the new Cairns Regional Council Planning Scheme is being created.
 

“Council has been particularly sensitive to safeguarding the distinct characteristics of the communities of our region when considering new planning applications to date,” Cr Schier said.
 

“We are now in the process of developing the new Cairns Regional Council Planning Scheme. The iconic values of the former Douglas Shire will be embedded in the new plan.”
 

The Cairns Regional Council has been invited to prepare a submission for the State review of the Iconic Places legislation in March 2011.
 

The Council said it considers the strong community support for the Panel the primary reason for the Panel to continue until the completion of the new planning scheme in 2014.
 

“Council will recommend that once the new regional planning scheme is finished and accepted by the State, we can review the need for the panel.”
 

The built environment values for the Douglas area were set out in the Queensland Government's Iconic Declarations in 2008. Here's how they read:


-  Low rise buildings, maximum 2 storeys Shire wide (Port Douglas – very select areas limited to 3 storeys);

-  Low scale buildings and visually dominant native/tropical vegetation in an urban setting, surrounded by an expansive rural landscape and framed by mountains;

-  No major through roads in the Shire, no traffic lights and no proliferation of advertising signage;

-  Development of a tropical architectural style, particularly in Port Douglas, Daintree Village and north of the Daintree River;

-  Containment of tourist development, primarily in Port Douglas and to a lesser extent Daintree Village and north of the Alexandra Range, where it is low key and subservient to the environment;

-  Confirming Mossman as the administrative centre of the Shire, thereby limiting commercial development in the smaller towns and villages to that which services the local community;

-  Low rise coastal settings. Limited views of urban development along the beachfront (when viewed from the beaches) at Port Douglas and at beach townships and coastal settlement areas;

-  The rainforest setting of the settlement areas and townships north of the Alexandra Range, with access to this area limited to the Daintree Ferry crossing, which provides a sense of arriving in a special place; and

-  Historical buildings and monuments in Port Douglas, consolidating the town centre near the harbour, maintaining open space between the Boat Harbour and Wharf Street and maintaining low speed, narrow local roads.


If you see evidence of development in Port Douglas or the surrounding hinterland that contradicts these values, let The Newsport readers know by commenting below.