Gold Coast council approves 89-storey Spirit tower for Surfers Paradise

THE Gold Coast’s tallest high-rise had been given a unanimous nod by city councillors.

How the Surfers Paradise skyline will look with Spirit completed.

THE Gold Coast’s tallest high-rise had been given a unanimous nod by city councillors.

Councillors today voted 15-0 to approve the 89-level Spirit tower on the old Iluka hotel site on the Surfers Paradise beachfront.

An artist’s impression of Spirit, which is set to become the Gold Coast tallest building.

It will eclipse Australia’s tallest residential tower, the 78-level Q1, which was completed in 2005 a few blocks south of the Spirit site.

Two councillors declared potential conflicts of interest because of political donations from interests associated with the project, but voted in favour after saying they could still be impartial.

Spirit, to be built by Chinese developers, was originally going to be 88 storeys.

However, it was knocked back by the Planning and Environment Court after an appeal by residents.

The developers then resubmitted the proposal under the new City Plan which has no height limits in Surfers, Southport and Broadbeach.

An artist’s impression of Spirit, which is set to become the Gold Coast’s tallest building.