Approval of 12-level tower in Jefferson Lane signals no prohibition on high rise at Palm Beach
Council has made a final call on a controversial proposed tower that drew almost 1000 objections, including a lengthy protest from Burleigh MP and nearby unit owner Michael Hart. FULL DETAILS
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Councillors have approved a 12-level tower at Palm Beach despite almost 1000 objections including a lengthy protest from Burleigh MP and nearby unit owner Michael Hart.
Officers at the planning committee on Tuesday recommended approval of 107 Jefferson Lane application which added 7.8m to the tower’s approved height, to reach almost 37m.
New Palm Beach councillor Josh Martin was the only councillor opposed. He described the application as a “landmark” for the suburb in terms of its height and being on the beachfront.
He asked officers about its impact on the suburb’s character and shadowing on the beach.
But his motion for “refusal” of the application was not backed by any of his colleagues.
“This area outside the CBD is not meant for high-rises,” he said.
Mr Hart in his submission said the proposed increase in height from nine levels to 12 at 107 Jefferson Lane was “blatantly inconsistent” with the character of neighbouring properties.
“The addition of high-end, high prices apartments does not contribute significantly to housing choice or affordability,” Mr Hart said.
City sources were shocked by the submission given Mr Hart bought a family unit along the Gold Coast Highway at the beachfront suburb in 2018 for $1,108,000.
Officers in their report challenged the main argument of 977 submitters opposed to the project.
Residents said the development failed to meet a section of the City Plan which said the Coast’s tallest buildings would continue to be located in Southport, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.
Outside these areas, medium and high-rise buildings would be concentrated in mixed use centres and specialist centres “to reinforce urban legibility, centre identity, sense of place and specific urban neighbourhoods”.
Those areas included Labrador, Southport, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Burleigh to Miami-Nobby headland, Coolangatta and Rainbow Bay
“Submitters raised that Palm Beach is not a suburb listed within the above section and therefore the development should not be supported,” officers wrote.
The Jefferson Lane development was greater than 32 metres and “therefore considered a high-rise”, officers added.
While officers acknowledged Palm Beach was not listed within the specific City Plan list of high rise suburbs, they argued that “does not mean there is a prohibition on high rise development outside of the list”.
“It doesn’t mention Palm Beach. In our opinion, that’s not a prohibition,” an officer said.
An officer said only a handful of submitters opposing the tower height increase lived close to the site.
Officers confirmed the tower would cast a shadow on the beach but “it was in the late afternoon and is a fast moving shadow”.
All councillors will have the final vote on the project at the next full council meeting.
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