Silkwood School heads to court after Gold Coast City Council stops plans for new campus

A school is fighting back after plans to open its second campus were stymied by the Gold Coast City Council. They have now taken their battle to court.

A Gold Coast school is fighting back after plans to open a second campus were stymied by the Gold Coast City Council.

The Silkwood School, based at Mt Nathan, has gone to the Planning and Environment Court in an attempt to have the council’s refusal of their plan to establish a Robina campus for the senior school overturned.

The building on Laver Drive, Robina is built and ready for students. Picture: Jerad Williams

The school had been hoping to have 180 students from years 10, 11 and 12 start the 2022 school year at the new campus on Laver Drive.

But the council in December last year declined their change of use applications citing having a school there would cause too much traffic in the area.

The Silkwood School – under their company name Leading Educational Enterprises – lodged two court actions in the Planning and Environment Court.

One to appeal the council’s decision and the other claiming the decision was made outside the required timelines and therefore should be considered an approval.

The proposal put forward to council shows the school would not construct any more buildings but repurpose an already existing office.

Picture: Jerad Williams

Court documents show the decision to refuse the school was made despite council officers’ recommendations for approval.

The council resolution they adopted reads: “That the application to issue a Final Development Approval for an Educational Establishment be refused for reasons including Council is not satisfied the proposed traffic arrangements can be implemented to mitigate serious impact to the local road network and that vulnerable road users may be exposed to significant risk in the proposed crossing over Laver Drive.”

The court documents detail how the Silkwood School did a survey of parents to determine how the students would arrive at school.

The Silkwood School in Mt Nathan. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Almost 60 per cent said they would get public transport.

Silkwood School business development and operations leader Greg Gapp said the plan to open a Robina campus was to improve student experience.

“The students in that cohort do go out and do a lot of internships,” he said.

“Where we are currently there is not a lot of transport.”

Mr Gapp said it was hoped by having a Robina campus it would allow students to access opportunities that were not available at their Mt Nathan campus.

Mr Gapp told the Bulletin the school hoped to go into mediation with the Gold Coast City Council as soon as possible with a view to resolving the matter outside of court.

The students in years 10, 11 and 12 will continue to use the Mt Nathan campus while the matter is decided.

Picture: Jerad Williams

Robina councillor Hermann Vorster said: “This part of Robina is very busy.

“The council was not satisfied that all of the transport issues were resolved.”

He said the council formed the view it was “not in the public interest” to have a school on the site.

Mr Vorster said the court process would allow the school to put forward their objections over the refusal to an independent body.

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