Councillor fears Palm Beach secret development report kept to rot on the shelf

The council has voted for another Palm Beach high rise. But a report on the community’s feelings on development remains hidden from the public.

Traffic congestion in the morning peak with vehicles heading north at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.

VETERAN councillor Daphne McDonald is urging council to stop keeping secret a report on Palm Beach development after it approved another new highrise project.

Cr McDonald yesterday opposed approval of a nine-storey tower on The Esplanade that was almost three times the suburb’s density under the City Plan.

Councillors Peter Young, Gary Baildon, Glenn Tozer and Dawn Crichlow also opposed the project.

Palm Beach-based Councillor Daphne McDonald opposed another high rise development. Photo: Jerad Williams

The 90-bedroom Palm Beach tower will be built on a 1229sq m block in a medium-density zone surrounded by houses and older buildings up to eight storeys.

Facing a storm of protest from residents about highrise projects, Cr McDonald said she had a copy of the Palm Beach development analysis completed in August last year, but was not allowed to release it.

“It’s confidential, I’m told I can’t release it,” she said.

“We’ve had community input and community meetings. People in the community have asked to see it. The ones involved in the formation of it – they haven’t even seen it.”

Cr McDonald said the study provided an insight into what residents believed should happen with future development in the area.

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A new high rise development at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.

She said she could not understand why the Palm Beach study remained secret yet a similar research paper for Tugun had been released.

“Why is it different for Tugun? People are saying it’s a waste of time and money council doing that (research), to leave it on the shelf to rot,” Cr McDonald said.

Officers told Cr McDonald the Palm Beach and Kirra Place analysis, involving feedback from residents, was completed in August last year.

Two months later the council supported a staged approach to reviewing the city’s zoning, height and density policy in the City Plan, the officers said.

A council spokesperson yesterday told the Bulletin: “The report is still in draft form and has not been considered by council.”

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The parking lane on the Gold Coast Highway at Palm Beach on the northern Gold Coast.

Officer in emails to Cr McDonald said the light rail stage 3 corridor, taking the route first to Burleigh and then further south through Palm Beach, was excluded from the review.