Island paradise is torn apart as Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel plans to build a beer garden on public land
- Locals are divided over venue's plans for expansion
- READ MORE: Popular venue barred from operating at night
A hotel and pub on a popular holiday island has divided locals over plans to build a beer garden on state-owned land and permanently close a public road.
The Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel at Point Lookout in southeast Queensland lodged a development application with the Redland City Council in November.
Owners of the popular venue plan to build a 83sqm veranda, a 90sqm beer garden and a 32sqm cold room, the Courier Mail reports.
The extension would overlook 563sqm of state-owned bushland once part of a road into the coastal town but has not been used in 20 years.
The application also includes a request to permanently close a road reserve directly beside the hotel, which is currently covered with vegetation.
Locals argue the road reserve leads to a carpark and stairs to Cylinder Beach and provides a natural buffer between the beach and hotel.
The reserve is also home to several resident koalas, goannas and native birds.
Residents are concerned the proposed expansion will impact the use of public land and damage the natural environment surrounding the hotel.
Locals are divided over plans to expand the Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel (pictured)
The application includes a request to permanently close a road reserve beside the venue
The new application comes over 20 years after the community successfully fought against plans to expand the hotel in 2002.
The Queensland Supreme Court of Appeal ruled the earlier bid didn't comply with planning regulation or criteria in a Development Control Plan.
The court ultimately ruled the expansion could not occur beyond the existing boundaries of the land the hotel currently occupies.
In response, venue owners reworked the plans and renovated the establishment in 2005 after a compromise was reached with the local community.
Two decades later, locals are once again up in arms over a new proposal with many venting their frustration on the Facebook page 'Save Straddie'.
'That road should be left for public access and as a habitat for the animals which happily co-exist there,' one woman wrote.
'I have personally viewed koalas, goannas, carpet pythons and a myriad of bird life including curlews, butcher birds and lorikeets all living there despite the enormous volume of hotel patrons. I believe the hotel has enough land already.'
'Straddie is a wonderful place for nature why do they want to take that away. Visitors go there to see our beautiful special animals that can only be seen in Australia. The koala is already in danger from over development,' a second said.
The latest expansion proposal (pictured) includes a veranda, beer garden and a cold room
Save Straddie has launched a petition in protest of the plans and has called on locals to object to the proposed closure of the road reserve.
The Queensland government last month called on the community to provide their submissions to the council about the road closure.
A decision about the approval of the development application is yet to be made.
A Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing, and Regional and Rural Development spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the application is being reviewed.
'The application is currently under assessment, which includes seeking views from stakeholders and a public notice requirement to determine the local community opinion, prior to a decision being made on the proposed permanent road closure,' the spokeswoman said.
Daily Mail has contacted Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel and Redland City Council for further comment.
