Australian company White Horse Australia – which has strong ties to one of China’s best known advertising and media companies White Horse Group – is set to redevelop a 584-hectare leasehold on Lindeman Island with the help of DBI Design and project managers Eastview Australia.

The redevelopment of what was the former Whitsundays site of the Club Med resort chain will cost AU$600m (US$472m, €426m, £304m) and has been granted ‘special project’ status by the state government. While this status does not indicate government approval of the project, support will be provided given that the project will have a significant environmental impact, strategic significance and complex approval requirements.

The full proposal, which could create more than 800 construction jobs over four years, will offer roughly 335 suites and villas across five precincts, including a six-star spa resort and a five-star eco-resort. There will also be a central village, including shops, restaurants, bar, another spa, a four-hole golf course and staff accommodation. A 50-berth marina will be built to transfer guests and the private airstrip will be upgraded to allow small jet landings and all-weather access.

The island is located on the Great Barrier Reef and so a coral planting programme will be implemented, alongside a Great Barrier Reef education centre, nature reserve and vegetation replanting initiative.

The Environmental Impact Statement for this project will be subject to detailed scrutiny and full public scrutiny, according to state development minister Anthony Lynham. He also said the resort could maintain 300 ongoing operational jobs once open and that this development is the first “co-ordinated” project declared in Queensland for 18 months. “Co-ordinated” are those granted ‘special project’ status.

According to the Brisbane Times, White Horse Australia bought the island for a lower-than-expected AU$12m (US$9.4m, €8.5m, £6m) in 2012. CBRE Hotels, which sold the land to White Horse Australia, released a statement at the time that quoted White Horse’s chair – William Han – saying that the Lindeman development will be run by a professional resort company. No operators have been announced yet.

CBRE Hotels also mentioned that this is one of the first Queensland island assets to be acquired by an entity with direct links to the Chinese market. Han, an Australian citizen, owns 100 per cent of White Horse Australia – which has links to the Chinese media agency White Horse Group.