Burleigh Heads: Residents concerned about the Pavilion’s wave of development that may follow

A proposed Gold Coast beachfront hotel along the city’s ‘village’ suburb has divided the city, with the development either set to help the area become a tourism jewel — or the vomit soaked Surfers Paradise footpath at night.

BURLEIGH Heads is taking a good, hard look at itself in the mirror — and the reflection which appears, depending on your perspective, is either tourism jewel or like a vomit-soaked Surfers Paradise footpath at night.

For many older residents, the Burleigh Pavilion’s planning application before council to get its licence upgraded from a restaurant to a hotel is the ultimate fight to stop the Glitter Strip from extending south.

‘BUILD MORE BURLEIGH PAVILIONS ALONG COAST TO SORT OUT OVERCROWDING AT BURLEIGH’

Photographs taken by residents of the Burleigh Pavilion.

They want the noise of lorikeets chattering at dusk in the Norfolk pines, not from drunks spilling out on to footpaths. The application has attracted a wave of opposition.

“Having visited Burleigh Heads every year for over 40 years since childhood, I was disgusted and shocked at the change of usage for the Burleigh Pavilion,” a Pymble family wrote.

“On our last holiday in January we were disgusted at the type of crowd now frequenting the Pavilion late at night — a far cry from the family friendly atmosphere which was promised and the pool where my kids learnt to swim.

“My kids were scared of the bouncers and did not want to go near the place where they would usually look at shells.

“The proposed hotel will be a disaster for the community and tourism. It will inevitably lead to more public drinking, brawls and to put it bluntly, vomit, used condoms and broken glass on and near the beach.”

Photographs taken by residents of the Burleigh Pavilion — many don’t like the view of the rooftop.

BURLEIGH PAV UNDER INVESTIGATION BY COUNCIL

Residents at the nearby Hillhaven Apartments in Goodwin Terrace are furious about major events held in the parkland, and their body corporate in its submission to council planners strongly opposes a hotel.

“Over the recent Christmas-New Year period we had a number of people using our building as a toilet by urinating in our foyer areas and defecating on our stairs — just disgusting and unacceptable behaviour,” the body corporate manager said.

“We also experienced numerous incidents of theft and damage. A commercial hotel at the Burleigh Beach Pavilion is highly likely to increase the prevalence of anti-social behaviour around Hillhaven as well as potentially threatening the safety of the building’s residents.”

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Burleigh Pavilion owner and leading hotelier Ben May plans to upgrade the pool area. Picture: Jerad Williams.

But another Goodwin Terrace resident who has visited the Pavilion several times described the restaurant as “amazing”, saying it catered for every age group and offered sensational views and service.

“Both personally and professionally I can see that it has a very positive impact for local tourism and to put Burleigh and the Gold Coast even more on the Map,” the resident wrote.

Leading Sydney hotelier Ben May, who has many southern-based supporters writing to council, invested $25 million in the development on arguably the Coast’s best beachside site leased from the State Government.

His backers point to gorgeous sunset photographs posted on Instagram shared by Destination Gold Coast, which have attracted almost 60,000 “likes”.

BURLEIGH PAVILION REVEALS PLANS FOR A SWIMMING POOL

Burleigh Pavilion with a huge crowd on its first week of trading. Picture Glenn Hampson

Yet many residents argue about the bigger picture, and their plea to council planners focuses on a potential change of “culture’’ for Burleigh.

“Putting a hotel on the beach of Burleigh completely contradicts the safe family atmosphere that has persisted in the area,” a Hill Avenue resident wrote.

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“I don’t believe the majority of residents wish to see Burleigh go the way of Surfers Paradise or Broadbeach.”

Burleigh MP Michael Hart is an objector, aware up to six body corporates are opposed. The Burleigh Heads Hotel in its objection says there is no economic need for another hotel.

In its application, the May Group says there will be no structural changes, hours of operation are to remain from 6am to 12am Monday to Sunday, and no gaming or short-term accommodation to be included.

Burleigh Pavilion with a huge crowd enjoying the restaurant atmosphere. Picture Glenn Hampson.

Light rail will soon arrive on Burleigh’s doorstep. Retailers fear the village atmosphere around the James Street precinct could be lost to high rise. The much loved Old Burleigh Arcade is up for sale.

Area councillor Pauline Young is acutely aware that 40 per cent of residents in Burleigh are retirees and they command a strong voice.

“There is a lot of change coming to Burleigh. The most important thing for me as the local councillor is to ensure that we maintain the amenity and the natural offerings with our headland and ocean,” Cr Young says.

“It’s so important we look after that side of things, but we’re a growing city and we’re going to have to adapt to the number of people who want to enjoy Burleigh as much as we do.

“We need to listen to what our residents want to say but we have to respect that we’re a tourism city and a lot of people are coming from interstate, nationally and internationally to enjoy what Burleigh has to offer. We have to find our balance.”