Revealed: council’s decision to approve twin towers on Burleigh beachfront

Twin towers of 22 levels have been approved for the Burleigh beachfront by council’s planning committee despite hundreds of objections.

TWIN towers of 22 levels have been approved for the Burleigh beachfront by council’s planning committee despite the development application dividing the community.

A majority of councillors at a planning committee meeting today approved twin towers of 22 levels at the Burleigh beachfront.

Proposed twin tower development at Burleigh on the Gold Coast.

The towers at 48-58 The Esplanade and First Ave will provide accommodation for permanent residents and tourists, giving an economic boost to the area by providing up to 50 permanent full-time jobs.

What the new twin towers will look like at Burleigh on the Gold Coast.

Each of the proposed towers were intended to have a different use with the northern tower being identified as a multiple dwelling comprising 77 luxury apartments, officers said.

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The southern tower would be a resort complex with the five star hotel including 132 suites and supporting resort facilities.

Council received 724 submissions – 347 were against the project and 377 supported it.

Those residents opposed were concerned about building height scale, the impact on residential density and the visual amenity.

Artist impressions of a five-star hotel proposed for a Burleigh Heads site by developer Ross Nielson.

The proposed development would use the 50 per cent uplift provisions under the current City Plan and exceeds the building height overlay map height of 53m, councillors were told.

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The resort’s hotel facilities will include a business centre, the hotel administration, a day spa and a kids club and a gym.

The Burleigh site where the twin towers will be built.

The main building on the current site is the White Horse Holiday Apartments, which was built in the 1950s.

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“Although the original building has a local identity and has contributed to the community fabric of Burleigh Heads, it has not been formally registered in the Gold Coast Local Heritage

Register and therefore is not subject to heritage protection,” officers said in their report.

The site for the proposed twin towers at Burleigh on the Gold Coast.

The amalgamated site located north of the Burleigh Heads CBD was 4039 sqm.

Officers said the high-rise spine in the area was characterised by a variety of built forms ranging from two to three storey walk-ups to 30-storey apartment towers.

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Councillor Mark Hammel, who had spoken to residents, said many of them supported a new development but had hoped for a boutique hotel.

He said he was not opposed to development on the site but could not see how the twin tower project “fitted the place analysis” completed by council for future building types at Burleigh.

Area councillor Daphne McDonald agreed saying residents were not against development but wanted it to be compatible with the area.

How the proposed twin tower development will look on the Burleigh skyline.

She said she was concerned about the bulk of the building on a site “on the fringe of a high density zone.”

Cr Pauline Young, the former area councillor, said the project would provide accommodation for tourists who would not have to be based in Surfers Paradise or Broadbeach.

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“It is within walking distance of our local CBD there,” she said, referring to the economic benefits of the development.

Another factor supportive of the project was the light rail heading north to Burleigh, which would provide transport support reducing any traffic issues, she said.

A majority of councillors backed the recommendation from officers for approval.