Fear over bowls 'sale'
PEREGIAN community groups fear the township's recreational future may be earmarked for a supermarket development.
Speculation that the defunct Peregian Beach Bowls Club had been sold to a developer who specialises in this retail area triggered a meeting on Monday of representatives from the Peregian Beach Community Association, Community House, Veggie Village, the local tennis club and the Peregian Beach Sports and Recreation Club.
The recreation club has been seeking approval from the site owners, the Pine Rivers Memorial Bowls Club, to reactivate the site as a viable sport and recreation hub.
Peregian Sports and Recreation Club president Eddy Crook said his club had wanted to reintroduce bowls there for the community, but had been hamstrung by the lack of any communication from Pine Rivers.
Local architect Sharyn Kerrigan convened the meeting, which included Sunshine Coast Council representative Russell Green.
"We have had confirmation from real estate agent Darren Innes from CB Richard Ellis that the contract was signed on Thursday with a 90-day due diligence period," Ms Kerrigan said.
"The site's preferred use under the planning scheme is recreational purposes and there is strong feeling and intention in the community and at the meeting that it remain so.
"Cr Russell Green has outlined obstacles the developer faces in getting this approved and we intend putting forward an alternative vision for the site which is more in keeping with its recreational, community use intentions."
Cr Green told the meeting he believed the new mayor and councillors would not push projects through against planning scheme guidelines.
The Peregian bowls club was declared insolvent in March, 2010.
