Bonney MP Sam O’Connor reveals opposition to the Arundel Hills Country Club redevelopment
A state MP has shared what an overwhelming majority of residents who made submissions on the future of the Arundel Hills Country club have said.
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The overwhelming majority of residents who made submissions on the future of the Arundel Hills Country club site were opposed to its redevelopment, according to a state LNP MP.
Bonney MP Sam O’Connor in state parliament asked Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon for a breakdown of submissions on her decision to intervene and use rare government powers – a temporary local planning instrument – which allowed the residential development to proceed.
Mr O’Connor has seized on Ms Scanlon’s response – 1800 of the 1856 submissions were opposed. But Ms Scanlon says a majority of those were on a pro-forma letter.
“These are the numbers Meaghan Scanlon didn’t want Gold Coasters to see,” Mr O’Connor said.
Mr O’Connor claimed the minister’s announcement about the project had made it “sound like the Labor government has listened”, with a media release talking about 1800 locals who took part in consultation.
“What the Minister didn’t reveal was that 97 per cent of these submissions were in opposition to Labor’s plan for Arundel Hills,” Mr O’Connor told the Bulletin.
“The future of the site should be in the hands of our community and our council. We are not going to resolve the housing crisis by having a minister continually go to war with council through inappropriate interventions like this.”
Ms Scanlon said there was no legal requirement for her to consult under the TLPI but she had “directed” the Housing Department to undertake feedback on the draft plan from July 22 to August 2.
She said she had decided against using “call-in” powers to overturn council’s decision to oppose the project.
Instead she opted for “a middle ground” where 20 per cent of housing was affordable and 60 per cent of the land was left for sport, recreation, open space and conservation.
“I have undertaken two rounds of community consultation and considered that feedback,” Ms Scanlon said.
In her response to Mr O’Connor, she said a total of 1856 submissions were received including 1800 opposing the draft Arundel TLPI – of which 939, or 52 per cent, were pro forma submissions.
“While 56 submissions expressed direct support for the draft Arundel TLPI, and 19 submissions were received after the consultation period closed,” she said.
“The Arundel TLPI will enable the construction of at least 650 homes, with over 60 per cent of the site dedicated to recreation, open space, and conservation, including two residential precincts for various housing types.”
The TLPI provides hundreds of new homes, many affordable, but it has put council and residents in the neighbourhood off-side.
The Bulletin earlier this month detailed how City planners had sent a scathing letter to the government warning drafting of special laws to fast forward the site’s development are “unclear and insufficient”.
The letter confirms council remains opposed to the decision by Ms Scanlon, which green lights plans for at least 650 homes on the disused 67ha golf course – almost double the number in the developer’s original pitch for the $150m project.
City senior planners warn of a “quantum of significant issues” – that further talks are needed about the TLPI.
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Originally published as Bonney MP Sam O’Connor reveals opposition to the Arundel Hills Country Club redevelopment
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