By JONATHON HOWARD
THE marketing manager for Makepeace Island, which is partly owned by Sir Richard Branson, has revealed the retreat wants to attract individual room rental as opposed to hiring the whole island.
The company is preparing court action against the Noosa Council in the Planning and Environment Court next year and does not believe it is in breach of its current ‘conditions of operation’.
Makepeace Island marketing manager Kirsty Aitken said Makepeace Island currently has the ability to rent the island as a whole for 20 guests.
“We have done so for over three years bringing guests from around the world to experience Noosa,” she said.
“There will be no new development or intensification of the current infrastructure and we do not want to increase the number of overnight guests.
“Our vision is to simply rent the current rooms individually under the same conditions we currently have.”
Ms Aitken said individual room rental would allow Makepeace Island to operate as an intimate boutique retreat catering for couples or families who would like to stay in a two bedroom villa or room rather than hiring the whole island.
“This is the only change we are requesting and therefore we do not believe our current conditions of operation should be changed,” she said.
Ms Aitken said if the move gets the green light, following the court hearing in March 2015, it could mean cheaper nightly room rates.
“Yes guests wanting to experience Makepeace Island will be able to do so hiring a villa or room only which will be more affordable than hiring the entire island,” she said.
Makepeace Island currently offers an exclusive sole use booking basis and only lets the entire island to one booking at a time, whether that be one up to a maximum of 20 guests.
Makepeace Island was bought in 2007 and completed in 2009 as a Balinese-style private retreat for family and friends of Sir Richard and Virgin Blue Australia co-founder Brett Godfrey.
It was approved as a private four-bedroom building, and three two-bedroom bungalows later opened to rent as an entire island for $3250 a night for groups up to 20.
