Cr Dawn Crichlow wants the council to stop approving high-rise developments outside of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Southport

A SENIOR Gold Coast city councillor says there shouldn’t be any more high-rises built until transport infrastructure has improved as more councillors reveal the City Plan ‘isn’t working.’

COUNCILLOR Dawn Crichlow doesn’t want to see any more high-rises built outside of Southport, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach until more transport infrastructure is in place.

Her comments come after Cr Pauline Young said the City Plan was not working for the Mermaid Beach area while developers took advantage of a 50 per cent bonus introduced by the State Government.

Councillor Pauline Young said the City Plan wasn’t helping Mermaid Beach residents on Sunday. Picture Glenn Hampson

The bonus allowed developers to exceed height and setback limits to increase the population density and reduce urban sprawl.

Cr Young’s comments were made at a community meeting at Mermaid Surf Life Saving Club on Sunday, where residents complained the three-storey height limit was being exceeded.

She was the second councillor in less than a week to declare frustration and disappointment with the City Plan. Previously, Cr Daphne McDonald said it should be thrown in the bin.

Other councillors have since come forward to talk about the City Plan.

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate: ‘It’s working’ (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

But Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the City Plan, which was introduced in February 2016, was working.

“The City Plan is actually working and is doing what it is designed to do — that is, place the focus for future development along key transport corridors in our city,” he said.

“The challenge for our city is to ensure we build up, not out.

“Building up minimises the environmental footprint, unlike widespread urban sprawl which takes away green space, costs ratepayers millions more in the delivery of infrastructure, and adds to road congestion with more cars commuting further distances.’’

Councillor Dawn Crichlow said high-rises should not be approved in areas outside of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Southport. Picture: Jerad Williams

But Cr Crichlow said the city should wait until the transport infrastructure was built before approving more high-rise developments.

“The density in other areas, for example Main Beach, are of concern where high-rises are being approved on the beachfront,” Cr Crichlow said.

“I believe the areas of Southport, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach provide enough high density for the city and are well serviced by the light rail.

“Until further transport infrastructure is in place, I don’t believe any more high-rises should be approved in other divisions.”

Former mayor and current Division 7 councillor Gary Baildon said he had issues with the City Plan.

The development at 243 Hedges Avenue caused a stir within the Mermaid Beach community because it is four-storeys high.

“I have spoken in council a number of times regarding building heights, minimum setbacks and excessive podiums, particularly in the high density Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Chevron Island precincts,” he said.

“The City Plan is constantly being reviewed where I will continue to make appropriate representation.”

For Division 11 councillor Hermann Vorster, the City Plan was introduced before he was elected.

“The one size fits all approach to town planning isn’t the best way forward,” he said.

“There are developments in Varsity Lakes that have woefully inadequate carparking, in context to Surfers where one might say they have an abundance. We have the same carparking ratio regardless of where the development is happening.”

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Division 4 councillor Kristyn Boulton said the public needed to understand the development application process.

“The scheme we use presently is a performance-based planning scheme,” she said.

“All applications are assessed on their merits. So as councillors, we need to work within the parameters or rules that have been set by both council and the State Government.

“There may be instances where the resulting development is over density or height, but all things considered, if that is what is permitted under the current planning scheme, then that’s what we have to work with at the moment.”