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Gold Coast’s sporting fields and park land to be slashed despite population spike

Land set aside for parks and sporting fields will be cut on the Gold Coast as the population continues to grow. Here’s why it’s happening – and the suburbs set to be hit hardest.

Gold Coast’s Wonder Reef opens to public

Land set aside for parks and sporting fields will be cutback despite population spikes – and coastal suburbs will be the worst affected.

Worse still, community groups say consultation for infrastructure planning has been “poorly advertised” and the technical material “daunting” for residents to understand.

Green space reduction will occur as the population of Surfers Paradise and Southport doubles to 150,000 each by 2041. Coomera will triple to 75,714.

Southern view from Skypoint Observation Deck at Q1 in Surfers Paradise — few parks are left. Picture: Jerad Williams
Southern view from Skypoint Observation Deck at Q1 in Surfers Paradise — few parks are left. Picture: Jerad Williams

The Bulletin can reveal Local Government Infrastructure Planning (LGIP) documents show:

* Local parks in coastal areas will suffer the biggest decrease – instead of 0.8ha per 1000 people it will be 0.3ha.

* There will be no local parks in rural zones.

* District parks will be reduced in both city and suburban zones – from 0.5ha to 0.3ha in coastal and 0.5ha to 0.4ha in suburban.

* There will be a reduction in sporting areas – 0.55ha to 0.5ha on the coast and 1ha to 0.24ha in the suburbs.

* Land for communities will also be decreased, from 680sq m per 1000 people to 130sq m.

In its submission to council, environmental group Gecko says the reasons for less land for parks and sporting fields are increasing costs and the ceiling put by the state government on infrastructure levies.

Workers on site at Cable Park at the Midwater development at Main Beach on the Gold Coast — developers are using parks for site gear.
Workers on site at Cable Park at the Midwater development at Main Beach on the Gold Coast — developers are using parks for site gear.

“Funding deficiencies are partly the result of the state government cap on infrastructure levies from developers which is too low for today’s market conditions,” Gecko campaigner Lois Levy said.

“But also because council did not use the open space levy for around eight years for acquisitions and now can’t afford the high land prices.

“Submissions for the LGIP were poorly advertised and the material on the council website is daunting with little explanation of how to read it and how to make a submission.

“It is extremely disturbing to realise that the most densely populated areas of the city will have the least area of parks and that these figures do not consider the thousands of visitors

to the city each year who also use the parks.”

A City spokesperson said the use of “hectares per thousand residents” in park standards was the unit required by state government to measure trunk parks for the LGIP, which service large catchment areas.

“It is not a real reflection of the quality, quantity or usability of our total public space network. It doesn’t include smaller pocket parks in neighbourhoods, our extensive network of natural areas or our 50km of beaches.”

But the council confirmed it has “changed the standard” for our trunk parks.

“However, the City has been proactive and strategic in securing land to respond to these challenges and almost 500 hectares of parkland and land for important community facilities have been secured,” the spokesperson said.

The recreation space charge had enabled 28 parcels of land to be acquired covering 496ha, including the Greenheart Parkland at Merrimac.

The open space levy was recently reactivated, and submissions on the draft LGIP amendment would be considered before being sent to the government by year’s end.

Palm Beach Elanora Community Group convener Lancia Jordana said the community was being “short-changed” by the council on proposed changes to its infrastructure policy.

“These changes appear to come about in the context of a serious shortfall in funding and investment in public spaces over many years. Council has been asleep at the wheel and residents are concerned that we and future generations will pay the price for years to come,” she said.

paul.weston@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/council/gold-coasts-sporting-fields-and-parks-to-be-cutback-despite-population-spike/news-story/6356176f623ee56c1b5cdf2e15d537f4