Meaghan Scanlon vows to do ‘everything’ to push housing amid Arundel Hills Country Club controversy
Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon is yet to weigh on a controversial move to 'call in' the $150m Arundel Hills Country Club development but says she will do "everything" to push affordable housing. Read the full report
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Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon says she will do “everything within my power” to push for affordable housing as she continues to weigh up making a final call on a controversial Arundel development.
Ms Scanlon last month opened public consultation on using extraordinary state “call in” powers to make a decision about the proposed Arundel Hills Country Club project.
Gold Coast City Council unanimously refused an application for a $150m, 380-home residential estate at the rundown course in January.
When asked if she was confident that public sentiment would be with her to approve the project, Ms Scanlon said it would be “inappropriate to comment”.
“Submissions have literally just closed I haven’t had an opportunity to look at those submissions yet,” she said.
“I have 20 days to consider them before I come to a decision.”
Ms Scanlon’s comments come in the wake of Southport Sharks sports club and A.B. Paterson College backing developer 3 Group’s plans for the development.
However council has remained strongly opposed to the development, which it says would see the removal of 75,000 sqm of vegetation and four waterways and create impacts to fauna including a native wildlife corridor for kangaroos and koalas.
In 2012, then Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney used the “call-in” powers to approve the $1.4bn Jewel Towers development. And in 2015, Treasurer Jackie Trad called in the Skyridge housing development in Worongary.
Ms Scanlon said her proposed call in had been triggered by “a number of state interests” following an application made by the developers.
“May I remind everyone that it is a proposed call in,” Ms Scanlon said.
“This wasn’t just me going and deciding to issue a proposed call in. There was an application, so I have to consider that application.
“I’ve always said that we need more housing and I’ll continue to do everything within my power to make sure that we get the housing that we need. That’s what people expect of our government.”
‘Dangerous precedent’: The argument against $150m project
Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon is being warned ‘calling in’ the $150m Arundel Hills Country Club development would set a “dangerous precedent”.
Earlier this month Ms Scanlon – the Gold Coast-based state Housing and Planning Minister – opened up the possibility of using extraordinary state powers to make a final call on the Arundel Hills proposal, which was previously rejected by Gold Coast City Council.
Ms Scanlon said the proposed ‘call-in’ would be judged on its planning merits and stakeholder feedback and has declined to comment further during the 15-day consultation period.
However, council planning committee chair Mark Hammel, backed by area councillor Joe Wilkinson (Division 7), were critical of the move when asked at the Northern Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Hope Island Resort.
Mr Hammel on Tuesday told chamber members the planning application for 380 houses on the abandoned golf course sparked one of the strongest refusals put up by officers.
“The Minister hasn’t technically called it in yet, she has opened up the process to all for public submissions if she does call it in. I have a funny feeling she hasn’t chosen to raise it, for the fun of it, and she will look to (call it in),” he said.
“This is very, very small on the scale of things normally called in by the state government. I personally think the Minister has set herself up for a dangerous precedent, if she will override local governments all across Queensland calling in projects of this size – that is dangerous.
“All we have done as a city is enforce out City Plan, which is a statutory document the state government signs off on. The state government appears to be saying we don’t care about that any more.
“To deliver 380 dwellings which is just a drop in the ocean of 180,000 dwellings we need in the next 20 years, I think it’s really short sighted decision to even look at calling it in.
“I hope when that it comes down to it that she actually chooses not to call it in and recognises the strong community input.”
New area councillor Mr Wilkinson said the residents had contacted him immediately to voice their concerns after Ms Scanlon made her announcement.
“It just felt like a kick in the guts to them,” he said.
“Undergoing the entire process with the council, the council coming to a decision – they were asking me what is the point of council, they (the government) are potentially calling in projects like this particular one.
“It is massive particularly when you consider there were 1163 people who made objections against this particular development application, and council then took in consideration when council officers presented their report damming the project.”
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