A $75 million development strategy has surfaced for the decommissioned runway area at Sunshine Coast Airport, envisioning its transformation into a lively mixed-use district. The Airport North Precinct proposal, submitted to Economic Development Queensland, envisions a complex featuring a resort, lodging options, retail spaces, dining establishments, medical facilities, and indoor recreational venues across the 34-hectare plot. The blueprint also incorporates a retirement village and residential units adjacent to the beachfront neighborhood of Marcoola.
The project falls within the Sunshine Coast Airport Priority Development Area (PDA), a 460-hectare state-managed zone established in 2023 to facilitate airport growth and economic diversification beyond aviation. Due to its PDA classification, development applications will not require Sunshine Coast Council approval. Following the disclosure, local councillor Taylor Bunnag urged residents to participate in upcoming public feedback sessions.
Councillor Bunnag highlighted the precinct’s coastal setting while acknowledging existing infrastructure limitations. The Airport North Precinct is in a relaxed beachside location that is serviced by already-stretched infrastructure. As someone who has grown up locally and is now raising their kids here, she wants to retain some of the unique coastal characteristics. She noted longstanding community opposition in North Shore and Coolum against excessive high-rise and dense developments. Bunnag also said that proposed land uses within the airport boundaries, such as retirement and other housing, “diminishes the opportunity for complementary aviation in the future”.
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The masterplan designates the former runway site for full mixed-use redevelopment. Height restrictions across the PDA typically cap buildings at 10 stories to accommodate aviation needs. Airport chief executive Chris Mills confirmed that traffic and flood impact assessments are nearing completion through council collaboration.
Chris Mills said that detailed traffic and flood modelling were being finalised in consultation with the council. “We believe it is important that the community has access to the full suite of relevant information when being asked to consider the proposal,” he said in a statement. The Airport North Precinct plan will undergo a 20-business-day public review period, though no commencement date has been set.
Separately, the Gateway Precinct adjacent to the existing terminal, approved in November 2025, will feature terminal expansions alongside a 250-room hotel, retail outlets, commercial spaces, childcare facilities, medical services, and industrial zones.