City Plan next step: community groups ask to protect the cane lands and Upper Coomera wildlife

Community groups are demanding a ban on future development in one part of the Gold Coast.

COMMUNITY groups are seeking a ban on future development in the cane lands and at Upper Coomera in the city’s fast growing north.

Councillors will be asked to consider these planning reforms during a special council meeting today to discuss City Plan changes.

Aerial image of Upper Coomera taken in June 2017. Picture: Nearmap.

The focus of the debate until now has been on reducing proposed increased density at potential development hot spots like Labrador, Southport and Biggera Waters along with reducing the impact of the light rail south to Palm Beach.

The Bulletin understands the council had focused on the cane lands as investigation area for future development but the focus was on expanding the area’s “adrenaline precinct” regarding motor parks.

The Community Alliance, which represents 15 Coast community groups, has sent a letter off to all councillors asking them to widen the scope of debate at today’s meeting starting at 10am at the Evandale Chambers.

Community Alliance leader John Hicks in the letter said he was disappointed to learn that future planned community meetings to discuss the changes would be staged after councillors voted on the package today.

Community Alliance leader John Hicks has written to councillors. Picture Glenn Hampson.

The key points which the Community Alliance want councillors to debate include:

* when the development applicant exceeds the stipulated density, site cover or setbacks the assessment becomes impact assessable, thus removing height as the only” impact” trigger.

* removing the 50 per cent height bonus from the City Plan altogether.

* the height of buildings are to be described in both metres and storeys.

* the Place Analysis reports on suburbs along the coastal strip produced by council become a formal assessment tool and be given more statutory weight in the City Plan provisions, protecting key local character attributes .

* Urban expansion — Upper Coomera investigation area is removed, because it is impossible to increase density and protect the wildlife corridor through Yaun Creek.

* Deletion of investigation Area — Pimpama cane lands.

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The cane lands in the northern Gold Coast. Picture Mike Batterham.

A report by the Community Alliance said it was “alarming” to see the entire area of cane lands north of Pimpama designated as an investigation area for future urban growth.

“This area will be subject to sea level rise impacts as climate change proceeds and to escalating flood risks as the frequency of extreme weather events increases,” the report said.