Gold Coast's Norwell Valley cane fields project advances as council probes massive infrastructure costs
Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel has survived a crucial conflict-of-interest test to lead the Gold Coast's biggest development project, despite his family's 160-year history in the area.
The “biggest” development project in the Gold Coast’s history is to proceed with planning investigations, as the City probes potential infrastructure costs.
Councillors at a full council meeting on Monday were in a marathon closed session where they received a confidential briefing by the backers of the Norwell Valley project.
Earlier, they were unanimous when they voted to support Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel, the City planning chair and most northern-based councillor, to be part of the debate.
A super majority of councillors later backed a recommendation which would see City CEO Tim Baker negotiate an agreement with the backers to cover council’s costs for the project.
Councillor Donna Gates and Dan Doran voted against.
Mr Hammel did not vote.
Mayor Tom Tate is to write to the Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie to form a working group including senior planners and technical officers.
The project would see “the delivery of 40,000 lots with significant residential and industrial, commercial and open space elements”.
The working group would include a probity officer and technical panel.
A financial model would be developed to “protect the City and State’s interests on trunk infrastructure”.
Ms Gates said she was “terrified” such a huge project without state backing could create a massive cost burden for ratepayers.
“I can’t get my head about this costing the ratepayer significantly,” she said.
Mr Hammel said the cane industry was facing a slow death due to the Coomera Connector expansion and other land uses encroaching on properties.
“The simple fact is the sugar cane industry in this part of Queensland is coming to an end,” he said.
Mr Hammel faced being ejected from the meeting over potential conflicts of interests.
Mayor Tom Tate supports the cane fields development in the city’s north but outlined why he believed Mr Hammel should lead planning advocacy.
“I think this project is crucial to the city,” Mr Tate told councillors.
“I think we have to take the lead on it. That’s why I welcome councillor Hammel to be in there, he will help me understand easier what we are trying to protect on behalf of the city.
“The elephant in the room here is infrastructure charges. That’s really the part, the advocacy, to keep our eye on the ball is crucial.”
Mr Hammel, who declared six potential declarable conflicts of interests, was backed by councillors that he take part in debate after he explained his property interests.
Councillors were shown a map which located both his property and the home of his parents outside the development area.
Developers had not reached out to them, he said.
But Mr Hammel, as a precaution, proposed to councillors that he would not take part in any vote on the project.
“It’s probably the largest proposal the Gold Coast has ever seen, probably the largest in Queensland history,” he said.
Mr Hammel said his family had 160 years of history in the valley, and any decision he made would be in the public interest.
Former Deputy Mayor Donna Gates and councillor Dan Doran both him asked questions, setting future guidelines about Mr Hammel’s role in state negotiations on the project.
It was determined either a City officer would be with him and minutes taken of meetings, or he would be supported by Mr Doran, the Deputy planning chair.
“It’s a tricky one for us to decide to allow unfettered ongoing involvement by Councillor Hammel,” Ms Gates said.
She said the previous vote was almost tied in February for Mr Hammel to be in a meeting.
“I think Councillor Hammel’s involvement in this matter is crucial, I think he has a far greater knowledge than most of us, including me who represented the area for 12 years.
“His knowledge is greater, and he can contribute to it. I just don’t believe he should be representing the city’s interest with the state government over this matter.
“I think that maybe the deputy chair of planning should take that journey, or the mayor if he wants.”
Proposals for the development of the cane fields have been put forward in decades past, but the latest venture has a solid report and backing of farmers.
In March this year, Mermaid Beach MP Ray Stevens in state parliament said the Coast’s north should be replaced by “canal estates” to combat overpopulation along the light rail line.
He believes developing the cane fields in the Norwell Valley will prevent a “sardine city” forming along the light rail corridor.
“There are only some 40 practising cane farmers today and (they) recognise the time has come for the area to go the same way that the cotton and arrowroot industries on the Gold Coast went,” Mr Stevens told parliament.
“Let that land be used for its best and highest purpose in providing housing for the thousands of people moving to the Gold Coast every year. Canal estates would provide flood-free living to future residents.
A state government taskforce was charged in March 2021 with investigating the cane fields as possible towns to ease pressure on established suburbs.
The taskforce was to look at undeveloped land to become new growth areas.
But Mr Hammel has cautioned Mr Stevens, saying the government needed to assist.
“The state government is already billions of dollars behind in critical infrastructure to support the rapidly expanding areas of Pimpama, Yatala and Ormeau,” he said.
“Under this plan for canal estates, we would add tens of billions of dollars more to the tab by opening the floodgates on residential development in the cane fields. Ratepayers cannot afford this additional stretch on the budget.”
He called for fixes to traffic congestion, problem M1 exits and public transport to be put first.
Four years ago, as the area councillor Mr Hammel, before becoming Deputy Mayor, posted about the “massive untapped potential in the development of the cane fields”.
But he cautioned the fields should not be covered in houses, with opportunities to spread the growing Yatala industrial estate east across the Pacific Motorway.
Originally published as Gold Coast's Norwell Valley cane fields project advances as council probes massive infrastructure costs
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