Flood of objections made against Gold Coast’s $600m Songcheng Theme park plan

THE results are in and it can be revealed exactly what Gold Coasters think of the $600 million plan to build a theme park at Carrara. But who is for and who is against it?

MORE than 300 objections have been lodged against the controversial $600 million plan to build a theme park at Nerang.

Public comment on the Songcheng development closes today and residents of the land surrounding the project have mounted a campaign aimed at convincing city leaders to reject the project.

Artist impression of Songcheng groups planned Theme Park at Carrara. Image supplied by Canford Property Group

But several prominent business leaders have also had their say, talking up the economic benefits, including more than $800 million in direct and indirect expenditure over a two-year period.

NEW PLAN FOR CARRARA THEME PARK

Concerns include the impact of the park on the residential amenity, increased density from high-rises and an expected increase in traffic.

Carrara Floodplain Neighbourhood Association president Neil Bartels said he was heartened that the council so far had received more than 376 submissions, most of which backed the group’s campaign.

DEVELOPERS MOVE ON THEME PARK

Songcheng Group Chairman Qiaoling Huang talks with Chinese Consul-General Dr Yongchen Zhao and Mayor Tom Tate. Picture Glenn Hampson

“A week ago we had almost 200 submissions lodged and now it has nearly doubled,” he said.

“There is definitely a strong sense of community feeling against this development and it is good to see not just the immediate neighbourhood but the broader community of the Gold Coast are concerned about what will happen here.”

Submissions in favour of the development have been lodged by Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan, Gold Coast North Chamber of Commerce president Gary Mays and Vicky Cao, director of developer Garuda GC, which owns the Southport Star of the Sea site and plans its own multi-tower project.

WELCOME TO CHINATOWN, NERANG

An image of one of Songcheng’s China theme parks.

More than 300 people attended a community meeting on the Songcheng project last month and a 15-strong group of locals rallied against it earlier this month.

The council will vote on the project later this year.

Songcheng bought the site for $55 million last year from developer Wanda. The company, an experienced theme park developer, operates attractions across China.

The Gold Coast project will be the company’s first outside of China.

The theme park and development would stretch from the Nerang Railway Station through to Lakeview Drive.