Development activity booming on Gold Coast, council statistics show

A wave of construction is due to sweep the Gold Coast in 2021 and momentum is building around funding for the new east-west rapid bus and light rail routes.

MOMENTUM is building behind a push to fund new east-west rapid bus and light rail routes as a wave of construction sweeps the Gold Coast in 2021, with new data revealing a big uptick in activity.

A new council development activity report shows the development industry – the Gold Coast’s second biggest sector – has seen a significant turnaround in the third quarter of the year.

According to the report, year-on-year, activity is up 11.7 per cent with 1184 development applications received from July to September.

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The light rail at Parkwood. Picture: Jerad Williams

More importantly, building applications are up 8.3 per cent while plumbing applications – the precursor to actual construction beginning – are up 22.5 per cent year on year.

Mayor Tom Tate welcomed the figures, which he said told a “story of underlying confidence” in the Gold Coast but underlined the need for more housing supply.

Cr Tate said the latest wave of development bolstered the case for funding to be allocated towards a proposed east-west rapid bus system.

“This means sensible, well-designed developments along our major transport spine. No one wants typical western suburbs sprawl which has choked other cities,” he said.

“A key piece of infrastructure needed to compliment this growth is the east-west public transport connections which can flow off the main light rail route.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“These east-west connectors will provide rapid public transport into our suburban areas such as Robina, Nerang, Elanora and north into Parkwood and Pacific Pines.

“That’s why I have called on the state government to partner with council to get the plans in place – and the work done – for the vital east-west connectors which will feed off the light rail spine.’’

Light rail links to Robina and Nerang will be investigated as part of a $7 million business case on the trams’ future jointly funded by the state government and Gold Coast City Council. “The study will look at electric buses initially as well as the feasibility of future east-west routes which would take the G:link trams to Metricon Stadium and Cbus Super Stadium”

The council construction data revealed that City Hall approved 1074 applications between July and September while rejecting 18. Decisions under delegated authority made up 98.8 per cent, while councillors voted on just 13 of these projects or 1.2 per cent.

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Among first projects off the blocks before Christmas are the $74 million Flow Residences at Rainbow Bay, and the $140 million No. 1 Grant Ave project at Hope Island.

An artist impression of a new rapid bus.

Construction begins early in 2021 on Australia’s first Mondrian hotel, a 22-storey twin-tower planned for the White Horses site in Burleigh that will feature 208 hotel rooms and 89 luxury residential units.

Cr Tate said interest in the city property market was strong: “Keeping up with demand is the key and that supply can be in the form of units, duplexes, townhouses and traditional freestanding homes.

“Ensuring strong supply helps achieve two outcomes: it keeps our market more affordable for the younger generation; and it satisfies the pent up demand we are seeing from intrastate, and interstate families.

“Everyone wants a slice of the Goldie and our challenge as council is to provide certainty to the market so the market can manage supply.”