Gold Coast development: New data reveals high rate of projects approved by council in 2018-19

Shock new data has revealed how few development applications Gold Coast councillors have actually been directly involved in over the past year.

OF more than 3900 developments approved in the city in the past year, councillors were directly involved in giving the go-ahead to just 48, new figures reveal.

Council data obtained by the Bulletin sheds light on the state of the city’s approvals process after months of growing anger over development on the Gold Coast.

Gold Coast skyline aerials of Surfers Paradise — Main Beach to South Stradbroke Island Pic David Clark

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The information, covering the 2018-19 financial year, shows:

* More than 4400 development applications were made to the council, with more than 3900 approved.

* Just 48 projects were approved directly by councillors, with the rest approved by planning staff or under “special delegation”.

* The highest number of projects approved by councillors rather than planning staff was in Broadbeach, followed by Palm Beach and Southport.

* The council refused just 49 projects, with “no decision” made on a further 354.

* The suburbs with the most number of refusals were Mudgeeraba, Coolangatta and Coomera.

* The most applications were made in the city’s far north, including Pimpama, Yatala and Upper Coomera, while the least were at Robina and Varsity Lakes.

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Gold Coast skyline aerials of Surfers Paradise — pic David Clark

Palm Beach councillor Daphne McDonald, who has long been critical of the rate of development, said many residents were concerned about how projects were approved.

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Palm Beach has been a hotspot for protest over high-density tower development, with residents concerned the suburb could lose its appeal and turn into a “concrete jungle’’.

“These numbers give an indication of what is happening in the city,” Cr McDonald said.

“A lot of these developments are taking place and people do not know about it because it doesn’t happen in the public arena.

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Councillor Daphne McDonald.

“For some people, they are not aware that a project has even been approved until a hole is being dug next door.”

The data is in line with the number of approvals made by the council each year since the 2012-13 financial year.

Palm Beach development is progressing at a rapid rate. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The council last week announced a raft of changes to the City Plan, which are now open to public consultation and are expected to come into effect in mid-2020.

City planning boss Cr Cameron Caldwell said the data showed a slight easing in the number of applications made in comparison to the previous year.

“The numbers remain at very high levels and we continue to see operation works and plumbing approvals, which is an indicator of continued activity through the city,” he said.

“These numbers remain strong.”