Gold Coast development: Controversial changes proposed for Gold Coast City Plan

Height limits will be imposed on a number of tower developments under a series of broad changes proposed for the Gold Coast City Plan.

HEIGHT limits will be imposed on tower developments in Chevron Island under a series of broad changes proposed for the Gold Coast City Plan.

Mayor Tom Tate this morning has announced a raft of proposed changes to the plan, which governs all development in the city.

It is the third major change to the plan since it was introduced in early 2016.

A series of broad changes are proposed for the Gold Coast City Plan.

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The proposed changes include:

• Reducing height limits on Chevron Island. Currently they are unlimited. It would be reduced to 33m. Density levels have not changed.
• A new Chevron Island precinct, within which any proposed development would receive the highest level of assessment by council.
• A late-night Chevron Island dining precinct, with hours of operation extended until midnight.
• New residential density limits on Sovereign Island allowing for buildings of up to 12m in height, up from 9m, as well as parts of Currumbin and one specific property in Nerang.
• Building height limits in specific areas including The Spit master plan areas, the Burleigh Heads district area and Varsity Lakes.
• To better align building height, there will be changes to 246 properties in Broadbeach, Main Beach, Hope Island and Varsity Lakes.
• Building heights will be defined in metres rather than storeys, excluding The Spit which has a defined three-storey height limit.
• Improved design for the ground floor of buildings in the existing light rail urban renewal areas for more high-quality public spaces.
• Council has identified three areas of major growth in population to meet the State Government’s target of a further 158,900 dwellings by 2041 — Southport West, Biggera Waters and Labrador. They were selected for their access to transport, employment and amenities.
• Upper Coomera, specifically the area around Courtney Dr, is being investigated as a place for future residential development.
• Four areas previously listed as potential areas of growth have been abandoned — Mudgeeraba’s Bonogin Road, Gilston’s Pyrus Court, Carrara’s Whitian Drive and Coomera’s Amity Road.

Towers at Chevron Island would be capped at 33m under the proposed changes. Picture: Supplied

Cr Tate said the Gold Coast needed to be ready for the increasingly rapid growth of the city’s population.

“The Gold Coast continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in Australia,” he said.

“Out of 1199 issues identified from community and industry feedback on the City Plan, we have addressed 759 issues and allocated a further 440 for amendment in future packages.”

Community consultation begins tomorrow and runs until October 25.