Gold Coast City Plan facing possible rejection amid concerns over housing supply

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates has hit back at the state government over their City Plan concerns. Here’s what she had to say.

DEPUTY MAYOR Donna Gates has accused the state of paying more attention to the concerns of developers than Gold Coast residents in considering the amended City Plan.

The Bulletin on Monday revealed that state planning officials are unhappy with sections of the plan relating to setbacks and height limits in a number of suburbs.

The officials have declined to tick off on the plan despite it being submitted nine months ago.

It’s understood developers have made submissions claiming the restrictions could make many projects uneconomical if they come into force.

However Cr Gates said the state government should pay attention to the concerns of residents and give the plan the green light.

“It (the plan) has been with them for review for months and council did its job. We went to four rounds of community consultation to make sure that we responded to community expectation in regard to the changes proposed,” Cr Gates said.

“... We thought we were certain because the community told us what they wanted. I don’t know why the state’s not listening to that, they seem to be listening more to the development sector.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles and Deputy Mayor Donna Gates.

The Deputy Mayor’s comments were backed up on Tuesday by Division 7 councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden.

“So we are being left with incredibly poorer built outcomes because the State Government believes the crocodile tears of developers and that they can’t make enough money with the outcomes we are hoping to achieve,” Cr Bayldon-Lumsden said.

In comments to the Bulletin, Minister Miles said he was concerned about “unintended consequences” if the amendments were approved in their current form.

“It’s important to ensure there are no unintended consequences, particularly in the context of the current housing supply challenges on the Gold Coast,” Mr Miles said.

“... I want to be sure any changes do not limit housing supply, affordability or availability on the Gold Coast.”

However Cr Bayldon-Lumsden accused Mr Miles of talking “rubbish”.

“It can easily be seen that plenty of affordable houses can be produced under the current and future city plan,” Cr Bayldon-Lumsden said.

“The City officers did extensive scenario testing to show this and the State has this information.

“What we have is a State Government in scramble and response mode. The Queensland-wide housing crisis is not caused by the Gold Coast Council.”

Councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Cr Gates urged the state to sign off on the plan as soon as possible, saying it was “really important” amid pressures on housing supply.

“We know that this city is under pressure with housing supply, where we’re seeing unprecedented interstate arrivals in the city and housing supply is short,” Cr Gates said

“So the sooner the state signs off, the sooner we’ll be able to hope that the development industry responds and builds the necessary homes.

“People wanted to see more green open space around high-rise development in particular, and at Main Beach and at Palm Beach they wanted to see the heights reduced just a little.

“So we responded after four rounds of consultation and made sure that we incorporated that.

“I understand that the state has some concerns, we just need them to do what has to be done, which is sign off so that we can get on with it.”

BLUEPRINT IN JEOPARDY AS MAJOR PROBLEMS REVEALED

THE state government is refusing to tick off on council’s revised City Plan - which governs development rules Coast wide - amid fears it will stall the construction of affordable housing.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Planning Steven Miles said the state was continuing to work with council on the plan, which he described as “incredibly large and complex”.

But Mr Miles expressed concern there could be “unintended consequences” if changes to design and density in some areas were approved, which the state was anxious to avoid amid the city’s housing crisis.

Council has been waiting for the Department of State Development and Local Government to green light the plan since it was submitted on December 15 last year.

Mayor Tom Tate in early September told the Bulletin he was frustrated by the delay, claiming the new plan could help provide affordable housing,

“We have been waiting for months for the state interest check for our new town plan,” Cr Tate said.

“From the minister’s level there is political will. But we keep getting asked for the same information. The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.

“Grab the plans, tick all the boxes, and give it to us and that will go a long way to resolving affordable housing.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at a Housing Roundtable meeting in Brisbane on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

But sources said the delay was due to multiple problems with the plan, with little chance of it being approved as is

The Bulletin understands the state government has proposed approving parts that it sees no issue with, while continuing to work with council on problem areas. Council is reluctant, preferring the entire plan passes, raising the prospect it may be rejected outright.

Among concerns are rules governing setbacks, site coverage and heights in some suburbs which reduce the number of units that may be built on sites.

Growth targets for Biggera Waters, Southport West and Labrador were last year slashed by 41 per cent before the final plan was submitted to government after a vocal campaign by residents.

Officials are said to be concerned that the restrictions would make it difficult for the city to cater for expected population growth, with the state government’s Shaping SEQ plan stating the Gold Coast will need an extra 158,000 dwellings by 2041.

Sources said while the plan did open up some greenfield sites for possible development of new homes, that did not make up for the numbers potentially lost on the coastal strip.

Representatives of the development industry have also expressed concerns. The industry has been operating on tight margins amid escalating costs for trades and materials and has claimed the restrictions would make many developments uneconomical.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

Government officials have also said to have had their task slowed by the complicated nature of the plan and the fact that it went through multiple amendments and four different rounds of consultation.

Under legislation, planning officials must ensure everything proposed has gone to public consultation in accurate form.

Mr Miles said he was determined to ensure any changes didn’t affect housing supply on the Gold Coast, already under significant strain.

“The proposed amendment to the Gold Coast City Plan is incredibly large and complex – the planners in my department call it a mega amendment,” he said.

“It includes changes about the design and density of residential development in certain areas.

“It’s important to ensure there are no unintended consequences, particularly in the context of the current housing supply challenges on the Gold Coast.

“My department is undertaking a thorough and comprehensive assessment and will continue to work in partnership with the Gold Coast City Council in progressing the proposed amendment.

“I want to be sure any changes do not limit housing supply, affordability or availability on the Gold Coast.”

The news comes amid a spiralling housing crisis on the Gold Coast, which has seen rental costs soaring and multiple reports of low-income families forced to live in cars and tents.

Future demand for housing is expected to remain red hot, with a recent survey revealing 85,000 people from Sydney and Melbourne intend to move to the Gold Coast in the next five years.

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