City ticks off on its first wave park, another Palm Beach tower and beach concert in a few hours

After weeks of protests, debate and divided votes, three major projects including a $300m wave park, a concert on the beach and a 14-level tower found their fate at council. Read what it means for the Gold Coast

Three projects get approved at Gold Coast at council

A $300 million wave park at Parkwood is approved, a concert at Coolangatta beach ticked off along with a tower at Palm Beach. All in one council meeting. What does this tell you?

The Gold Coast is a teenager going through a growth spurt.

Before full council on Monday, councillors are split and residents impacted united in opposition.

Senior officers after marathon work are just hoping the vote will be right. Almost 800 residents opposed a 14-level tower on an amalgamated site covering 1650 sqm in Jefferson Lane at Palm Beach.

Some will now join in a court appeal against council.

Latest designs showing the wave park approved for Parkwood on the Gold Coast.

The application could have been delayed, a few levels dropped but the push for refusal was poorly executed.

Councillors say they were not briefed on Cr Daphne McDonald’s plans. Advice was sought from many planners and lawyers. The recommendation was approve or ratepayers fund a court case costing up to $500,000.

Latest designs on the wave park approved for Parkwood on the Gold Coast.

The vote for the World Surf League electronic music concert was similarly split 8-5.

Area councillor Gail O’Neill after talking to licensed venue operators, surf lifesavers and residents, was strongly opposed. She was supported by Cr McDonald, Pauline Young and William Owen-Jones.

Bob La Castra despite leaning towards “soul” along with music scribe Glenn Tozer talked up the event which will inject at least $5 million into the economy.

Later outside, senior administrators were applauding. “That’s a vote for commonsense,” a bureaucrat said.

Their reasoning is the City with its new Experience Gold Coast tourism promotion body wants to continue being in the business of promoting events.

Finally, the wave pool in a suburb, on a flood plain – this had to be the most challenging of the development applications.

But the operators had completed a three-year hard slog of homework.

They employed the best hydraulic engineer, undertook extensive consultation of residents, knew their neighbours.

The keys to this approval? It was 1076 submission for and only 182 against, and the engineering ensuring that the new development reduced rather than increased the flood risk.

Partygoers enjoying a music festival.

Cr Owen-Jones and chair Hammel in setting conditions ensured surfers did not wax their boards before 5am and delivery trucks arrive before 7am.

In the wash-up, a resident leader who attended the meeting on returning to their home to their coastal view, could only see dark clouds south from Burleigh.

“I don’t understand what they are thinking this (the 14-level tower) is attractive outcome for tourists to visit the Gold Coast,” she said.

Fourteen level tower planned for Jefferson Lane at Palm Beach causing a community protest.

“The view from Treetops to Coolangatta, you can see a lot of native bushland. It’s mostly low to medium rise. We are starting to see of a wall of concrete. There’s not enough infrastructure to service this narrow corridor.”

My view is outside the council chamber – all parties pass by.

A majority of experienced councillors, starting at 10am, got through this agenda by early afternoon, taking a short Christmas lunch break. Many are about to depart.

From my chair, the Coast is being directed by the state to meet southeast Queensland’s huge population targets – because people want to live here, not Ipswich.

We are parents monitoring a teenager at the fridge. We are going to have to live with growing pains.

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Originally published as City ticks off on its first wave park, another Palm Beach tower and beach concert in a few hours