Gold Coast development: City Plan changes a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction to State Government targets

Changes proposed for these Gold Coast suburbs by the council have been declared ‘death by a thousands cuts’. Is your suburb among them?

THE architect who helped design the Gold Coast City Plan has warned proposed changes will be “death by a thousand cuts” for some suburbs.

The council has nominated Southport’s west, Labrador and Biggera Waters as future development hot spots to cater for the extra 350,000 people expected to flock to the city within 22 years.

The proposed amendments are to meet a State Government-set growth target of 158,900 new dwellings by 2041.

Palm Beach development is progressing at a rapid rate. Picture Glenn Hampson

But there are fears it will lead to the traditionally low-density areas becoming “sardine cities”.

Former City architect Finn Jones played a key role in creating the City Plan before it came into effect in 2016, and was later the head of the Gold Coast branch of Urban Development Institute of Australia.

He warns the mooted changes to the plan would allow for Surfers Paradise-like densities and low-rise towers up nine-storeys high in already established areas. Most affected would be property from Southport Park Shopping Centre on the corner of Benowa and Ferry roads north to Biggera Waters, and as far west as Wardoo Street.

This area is primarily home to low-density residential development and duplexes.

Finn Jones. Photo: David Clark

“Council don’t seem to care if the value of your house drops because someone else builds next to you,” he said. “It’s seen as just the pain from the growth of the city.

“We are looking at knee-jerk reactions to arbitrary numbers produced by the State for population growth and the easiest solution seems to be just grabbing at all these residential areas.

“It is death by a thousand cuts to whatever character is there.”

The growth figures were set by the State Government in its South East Queensland Regional Plan 2017.

Council must pledge to meet these targets for the State to green-light amendments to the City Plan.

In a report on the proposed changes published last month, council warned the city needed to increase its rate of development.

“The 2041 dwelling targets cannot be achieved based on current construction trends,” it said.

“To assist in this identified shortfall, we have identified three targeted growth areas within the city’s consolidation area.”

Dawn Crichlow. Photograph : Jason O'Brien

Southport Councillor Dawn Crichlow said she feared what the proposed amendments would mean for suburbs like Chirn Park.

“People bought in there because of the village atmosphere but now there is the potential for buildings of up to eight storeys,” she said.

“This is too much because while we have to house the number of people moving here, these suburbs are not the right place because the streets are far too narrow and will simply not cope.”

But others argue it is the right move.

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Geoff Burchill.

Veteran developer Geoff Burchill, who played a key role in the planning of Robina and Oxenford, backed the proposed changes as being a necessary step towards dealing with the city’s population.

“The City Plan amendment is an honest and logical effort to fix a looming housing crisis, for what can be done under the bounds of statutory legislation,” he said.

“This is inadequate for meeting forecasts for housing supply now and for the long-term.

‘The last thing the housing industry needs is more uncertainty for developers from Sydney and Melbourne about volatility, leading to threats of booms and busts of the past.”

The first round of public consutation began late last month and runs until October 25. A second round will be held before Christmas.

To have your say go to: Gchaveyoursay.com.au/ourcityplan