Councillors vote on new tower for Palm Beach

A decision has been made on the controversial proposed 14-storey apartment building near the beachfront, at Palm Beach.

New 14-level apartment tower to be approved at Palm Beach fronting the Gold Coast Highway.

THE full council has backed recommendations from officers for a new controversial 14-storey apartment building near the beachfront at Palm Beach.

The 43.5m-high building, which includes 78 units and a food and drink outlet operating from 7am to 10pm, will be built on four lots currently used for storage fronting the Gold Coast Highway.

New 14-level tower proposed for Palm Beach fronting the Gold Coast Highway.

The super majority of councillors supported the development after a marathon debate.

The councillors who voted against were Daphne McDonald, Peter Young, Glenn Tozer and Darren Taylor. Brooke Patterson abstained from voting.

None of the new councillors — Cr Patterson, Cr Taylor, Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden or Mark Hammel — spoke during the debate.

Councillors at an earlier planning committee had been told the application was made before the reduction of height limits under the recent City Plan amendments.

Planning chair Cameron Caldwell at full council today said the application was lodged in late July last year before the City Plan changes were foreshadowed.

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Mayor Tom Tate at live streaming of a full council meeting under COVID-19 safety measures.

He suggested “rather than a sledgehammer a scalpel should be used” to make changes requested by residents, and proposed several minor adjustments to planning for the site which includes extra screening of the properties.

Cr Caldwell said the building was “slender in form” and added “an interesting variation to the skyline”. He and Councillor Hermann Vorster proposed changes including access to parking spots which they believed would be acceptable to nearby residents.

The planning chair warned it would be “extremely dangerous” for councillors to support a refusal, after councillors had earlier received legal advice.

An officer’s report shows building’s height of 14 storeys and 43.5m exceeds the height identified on the building height overlay map of 29m. However, the map can be exceeded, under the existing City Plan, by 50 per cent, “subject to meeting certain design and character criteria”.

Councillor Peter Young who spoke against approval of the development said 48 of the 128 objections were from nearby residents who indicated the new tower “did not meet their reasonable amenity expectations” which was condition for an uplift in height requirements.

“We are opening the door for an appeal,” Cr Young said, adding that ratepayer money would be wasted defending council’s decision to approve the development.

The site for a new 14 level at Palm Beach fronting the Gold Coast Highway.

Senior officers told the meeting nine outcomes had to be met to increase height from 29m to 43m and the applicant had “met the test”.

Area councillor Daphne McDonald who strongly opposed the development said it would be three times the density for the low density area and greater than that for the major Sunland tower being built in the beachfront suburb.

“I believe this is not consistent with the character and intent. It is a big, bulky building,” she said.

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates referred to a positive report from the council’s Office of Architecture and Heritage which noted the tower’s “balconies and sculptural projections” had the “benefit of promoting subtropical excellence”.

Councillor Bob La Castra asked about council’s legal position if it refused the application, and council moved into closed session for a discussion with the City Solicitor.

New 14-level apartment tower to be approved at Palm Beach fronting the Gold Coast Highway.

The planning debate was regarded as the first real challenge for four new councillors regarding the City Plan.

The expectation among many residents, particularly those in Palm Beach, would be the new councillors, elected to reform city’s planning, would oppose the project.

Cr Glenn Tozer said he was not convinced the applicant had met the criteria and would support the local councillor.

He said the tower would be 43m high in an area where council had signalled through its City Plan amendment meetings suggested the height should be 25m “moving forward”.