Shock turnaround on Palm Beach high rise as councillors react to community campaign

RESIDENTS in low rise Gold Coast suburbs are voicing their concerns about high rise developments. Now, the latest planning committee meeting shows councillors are finally listening.

The proposed Palm Beach unit development

THE council’s planning committee is reacting to the building height fight by residents and dramatically reducing the density on an application for a Palm Beach unit development.

Developers had applied to build a seven story building in Nyrang Avenue, on the western side of the Gold Coast Highway just south of the Tallebudgera Creek.

Councillors at the planning committee meeting today were told the current proposal would provide for a density three times that allowed under the City Plan. Picture Mike Batterham

Councillors at the planning committee meeting today were told the 12 three-bedroom units on the site would provide for a density three times that allowed under the City Plan.

Councillor Peter Young said an officer’s report confirmed the residential density for the area was one bedroom per 50 sqm on a site but the proposed development required one bedroom per 18 sqm.

Officers had recommended approval noting the development was within 400m of nine bus stops which connected with the Broadbeach light rail and the Robina rail station and the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta.

“From my point of view the residential density was established in the City Plan with full knowledge of all of those facilities and services, it’s not that they’ve just appeared overnight,” Cr Young said.

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Area map for Palm Beach planned unit development

“It seems to me kind of odd that we’re relying on those kinds of circumstances to support the significant increase in the density as we’ve seen here and no doubt in other cases as well.”

Officers said they had considered the infrastructure like public transport around the site and considered it was appropriate to increase the density.

Area councillor Daphne McDonald told the meeting she had concerns about the density and using of car stackers so the project could meet parking requirements in a small street.

Designs showed a row of six cars on top another set of six in a parking section below the units.

Councillor Hermann Vorster voiced safety concerns in the wake of a recent Melbourne report where a woman was left fearing for her life after a car stacker fell more than a metre while she was parking her car.

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The site for a Palm Beach unit development

Cr McDonald told the meeting: “I’m pleased now that it’s now being discussed about addressing those issues, because my understanding was there are issues with car stackers and that they (other unit owners) have been into council to ask for car stackers to be removed

“I think this is a big problem we are going to be faced with in the future. When these car stackers start breaking down and the cost to repair them we might see a great shortfall (of parking) in these developments.”

Outside the meeting, planning chairman Cameron Caldwell was asked about a report in today’s Bulletin where Mermaid Beach residents will meet to consider a potential legal battle against a 22-storey building development.

Cr Caldwell believed councillors could get the balance right on when to oppose certain applications, citing the recent Boral quarry dispute.

Parking plan for Palm Beach unit development proposal showing car stacking.

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He said council was receiving 5500 applications per year compared to 2500 in 2012 but court appeals had decreased from 130 to 50.

“This particular proponent we thought was pushing boundaries across density and needed to use car stacking. We’ve taken that away,” he said.

Cr Caldwell said councillors had voted to make substantial design changes which included removing four apartments and 12 bedrooms.

“This particular proposal we thought was pushing the boundaries across densities. It is important when there’s a significant community interest in it, we will take up the fight and won’t back down,” he said.