Will the tram spark higher buildings at Burleigh as residents ask hard questions

AS the Gold Coast light rail makes it way south, residents have voiced concerns the installation of trams could impact height changes to buildings close by. This was Mayor Tom Tate’s response.

MAYOR Tom Tate is promising residents concerned about the future light rail link from Broadbeach to Burleigh that their low-rise coastal neighbourhoods will remain intact.

Councillor Tate in a post on his official Facebook page has also revealed that Stage 3A will provide two lanes of vehicle traffic on each side for 6.7km, with the dual tram track down the centre of the Gold Coast Highway.

The crowds wait as the light rail tram enters the station at Helensvale. Picture: Jerad Williams

He reminded residents that public consultation in 2015 found 79 per cent preferred the route along the highway to Burleigh, and 70 per cent supported the continuation of the trams to Palm Beach and the airport. A similar response occurred last year, he added.

But the Facebook post, to highlight information sessions during the next month as the council and State Government complete a detailed business case, has sparked debate.

A resident reminded the Mayor that on the western side of the Gold Coast Highway from the southern end of Miami through to Burleigh Heads Primary School, the building heights limits were either two or three storeys.

“My concern is for those parents who have worked hard to secure a home near the beach who wish to raise a family in a low-rise beachside neighbourhood environment,” the resident wrote in a post.

“My concern is that the light rail will change the height and density limitations in these particular areas and therefore severely impact residential amenity for children and young families. If you can confirm this is not the case, I will feel much happier for the future upbringing of my family.”

The light rail path along the Gold Coast Highway as originally proposed in 2015. Photo: Supplied.

Cr Tate later posted: “no city plan changes I’m aware of or proposed”.

The Bulletin yesterday asked if it was the case that the light rail extension would not lead to higher heights of buildings west of the highway from Miami through to the school.

A city spokesman replied in a statement: “The light rail is an infrastructure project. The City Plan controls such things as density, building heights and other city planning matters.

“Under the plan, there is no intention to change building heights along the light rail route south of Broadbeach.’’

But council insiders along with community groups suggest the planning landscape around light rail is much more complex and confusing.

Mayor Tom Tate launched the first survey in Coolangatta, encouraging residents to have their say on the extension of the light rail to the southern and western suburbs of the Gold Coast. Picture by Scott Fletcher

An insider said light rail could result in more intense planning within 400m of a tram station.

The area for high density development often extended to 800m or further, with Chevron Island an example of where light rail was used as an argument to support high rise buildings.

“If you look at all the stuff on Chevron Island, it’s all approximately five times the planned density on the basis there was a light rail station even though it might be 1100 metres away,” the council insider said.

“It’s a bit nebulous. There’s been repeated reliance (by officers) on planning light rail to justify increasing densities.”

David Hutley from the Main Beach Association was concerned about the role of light rail in a fresh application for a 46-storey building at Main Beach.

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Planning documents submitted with the application clearly include the Main Beach Parade beachfront site in a light rail area map. But a station is at least a 10-minute walk or about 750m away.

The 1261 sqm block in the zoning allows for one bedroom per 33 sqm, or 38 bedrooms, but the application is for 55 units over 20 storeys containing 130 bedrooms.

“I don’t want them to use it as an excuse to increase the height or density on the land,” Mr Hutley said.