Residents to protest after seeing red about high rise building and helicopter services at Main Beach and the Spit
Main Beach residents are a collision course with councillors due to anger about increased heights of buildings and planned helicopter flights as a crucial meeting takes place. LATEST UPDATES >>>
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MAIN Beach residents are on a collision course with councillors due to anger about increased heights of buildings and planned helicopter flights across The Spit.
Councillors on Tuesday at a meeting voted on an officer’s recommendation backing proposed tandem skydives off a chopper at The Spit on the Gold Coast despite noting the “risk of incident between beach users and skydivers”.
Only Councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden voted against the recommendation, after Councillor Cameron Caldwell along with Deputy Mayor Donna Gates backed lifestyle committee chair Hermann Vorster in supporting a trial. All councillors will vote at a full council meeting.
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The Bulletin has obtained emails from resident groups to councillors opposing the move, saying it contradicts council planning policy.
Meanwhile, the Main Beach Association is reaching out to councillors to attend their annual general meeting at the Southport Yacht Club from 6pm to 8pm on July 27.
Helicopter noise from existing flights, traffic congestion and lack of setbacks on new towers will feature in the debate.
Friends of Federation Walk leader Lyn Wright has submitted an objection to the helicopter proposal for the commercial use of the beachfront at Philip Park.
In an email to councillors, she wrote: “This proposal is in conflict with the community expectation of public use of beaches. This proposal will set a precedent for the commercialisation of beaches on the Gold Coast.”
Ms Wright said the planned tourism attraction was in conflict with the State Coastal Management Plan, which indicated air services would not be permitted at The Spit.
But Cr Caldwell established during questioning of officers that the proposal did not conflict with The Spit Master Plan.
Meanwhile, Main Beach Association leader Sue Donovan predicts hundreds of residents will attend the AGM where area councillor Darren Taylor is to speak on high rise development.
“Given that many of the flaws in the City Plan are due to the 2016 Planning Act, it is vital that our State politicians are aware of the issues and minor reforms that would go a long way to rectifying the situation,” she said.
“The focus of the meeting is to inform the community of what is happening, why it is able to happen — and to discuss ways of remedying a situation that is creating great alarm in the community.”
Material promoting the meeting includes a poster showing recent and planned towers for the beachfront suburb.
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