Council to approve second high rise for Helensvale on Red Rooster site

Councillors have handed down a decision on a high-rise building in Helensvale, which triggered mixed reaction because the development site is home to a fast food favourite.

Helensvale is poised to get its second high-rise building — and a councillor predicts more towers will appear in the growing central retail heart of the northern suburb.

Councillors at a full council meeting at the Evandale Chambers on Tuesday ticked off a recommended approval by officers for a second residential tower at Helensvale Plaza in Sir John Overall Drive.

Planned high rise building on the Red Rooster site at Helensvale.

Area councillor William Owen-Jones in an update to residents said the property’s long standing zoning under the City Plan had always anticipated this type of development within the centre zone.

“The twelve storey building is 10m below the City Plan height and is four storeys higher than the existing residential tower on the site,” he said.

The proposal has triggered a mixed reaction because some residents were supportive of the Red Rooster outlet remaining on the site. Others want to know the impact on traffic.

“The Red Rooster is a long standing supplier of hot chips and chicken for the ‘Vale. Their future location will be a commercial leasing matter between the company and their landlord,” Cr Owen-Jones wrote, in a Facebook post to residents.

“The loss of a fast food store is not a valid reason for refusal of a planning application.”

A resident in a response said: “Actually agree with this and feel it would improve the look as it’s looking old and tired currently but am concerned about the road and parking as it’s very hard to get a park these days to go to library or plaza. Progress is inevitable and done right can be a good thing.”

Red Rooster site at Helensvale where there are plans for a new high rise building.

Several others agreed. Cr Owen-Jones added that a traffic report suggested the new tower would reduce car movements.

“The current approved use generates more daily traffic movements than the proposal,” he said.

But a resident said she and others did not want any more towers in the suburb.

“This will be the second high rise in Helensvale,” Cr Owen-Jones wrote.

“It will not be the last. The property owners in the designated centre have development rights, which cannot be waived away.”

Plans showing the Red Rooster site and high rise building to be built at Helensvale.

He added that the high rise tower was the sort of development anticipated in a centre zone under the City Plan.

The first stage of the proposed $350m redevelopment of Helensvale Plaza had included a 69-unit residential development which incorporated an eight storey commercial tower next to the existing shopping centre.