Development expert says the Gold Coast must build up or families will be divided

ECONOMIC expert warns that the Gold Coast will have to embrace high-density living — including taller towers — or children will be forced to live far away from their parents

GOLD Coast residents have to embrace high-density living or forget about their children living near them.

That’s the opinion of Gratin Institute CEO John Daley who said every city in the developed world had to battle the pressures brought on by increased population.

Professor Daley said Australia was littered with planning documents proposing to increase densities in major cities, but most failed because residents did not want large apartment buildings in their suburbs.

9 Nyrang Avenue, Palm Beach development which was voted down recently.

NEVER MISS A MINUTE WITH THE GOLD COAST BULLETIN APP

“The local population says it should not happen in my backyard, so the politics become very difficult,” said Mr Daley who has published extensively on economic reform priorities, budget policy, tax reform, housing affordability and generational inequality.

“If you want your children to be able to afford a house or a dwelling near you there will have to be more development in your suburb.”

Professor John Daley, Chief Executive Officer, Grattan Institute said the Gold Coast had to have this public argument about development to explain what would happen if the city didn’t provide affordable homes in the future. Photo: David Geraghty

WHY BUILDING UP IS BETTER THAN SPRAWLING OUT

His comments come as residents in the coastal suburbs of Mermaid Beach, Nobby Beach and Palm Beach are lobbying their city councillors to block large residential developments in their areas.

Applications have been approved under the City Plan which allows developers to take advantage of a 50 per cent increase over the guidelines in height limits, densities, setbacks and site coverage.

Last week, the inaugural Gold Coast city architect Philip Follent said the plan favoured developers ahead of residents.

Council’s planning committee later declined a 12-unit development proposed for Palm Beach.

Cr Cameron Caldwell said the Gold Coast had to build up not out to deal with the 10,000 people who moved to the city each year. Picture: Richard Gosling

However, councillors Cameron Caldwell and William Owen-Jones said that with more than 10,000 people moving to the Gold Coast each year, development was inevitable and the City Plan was the tool to manage that.

Urban Development Institute of Australia Gold Coast and Logan President Sean Sandford said the City Plan was driven by the State Government’s increased density requirements.

GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS FOR $3 A WEEK

Under the requirements within the South East Queensland Plan, 80 per cent of future residential developments will be on brownfield land and just 20 per cent on new land.

“The State is basically saying we have sunk millions of dollars into the infrastructure on the Gold Coast, whether that is true or not, and they want people to live around it,” he said.

“We are no longer a country town. If we want to function as a city and have the benefits a city brings such as good transport networks, close proximity to an arts centre, universities, hospitals, a CBD then we have to realise the harsh reality that this will happen.

“I hope my kids want to grow up and live on the Gold Coast but to do that I can’t expect them to live on a 600sq m and 1000sq m block. They will live in smaller townhouses and units.”