Council has received an application for a three-storey motel to be developed on the Meekak restaurant site at 222 Bourbong Street, Bundaberg.
If approved, there will be 40 rooms, including a mix of studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units, as well as a manager’s residence.
A pool would also be included at the podium level.
In applying for a material change of use, the developers cited strong demand for short-term accommodation in Bundaberg.
“In terms of the accommodation market, leisure visitors are the most significant, but are supplemented by a noticeable business market that includes health and government related workers as well as corporate travellers,” the applicants said.
“The demand for short-stay market generated by the corporate and government sector is expected to grow due to the completion of the Bundaberg Multiplex that can now cater for large scale corporate and sporting events.
“The proposed development would drive its own demand as visitors from outside the region seek high quality, easily accessible accommodation.
“This demand would be in addition to changes to the local market over the last few years.
“Since 2015 there has also been a number of tourism and economic developments that would positively influence demand for the short-stay accommodation market in the Bundaberg Region.
“These include completion of the $10 million redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre, Lady Musgrave Experience (day trips to the Great Barrier Reef) leaving from Bundaberg Port Marina, and the $70 million Knauf plasterboard manufacturing plant at the Bundaberg Port.”
The Meekak Korean restaurant has been closed since March.
