Gold Coast development: New residential tower planned for central Burleigh Heads

The face of Burleigh is set to change but not all Bulletin readers are convinced things are heading in the right direction. JOIN THE DEBATE

THE face of Burleigh is set to change but not all Bulletin readers are convinced things are heading in the right direction.

A $5 billion wave of development sweeping through Burleigh Heads is intensifying, with yet another sight in the suburb’s heart set to become a new tower.

The light rail has been hailed as the catalyst for a range of tower projects centred on the new terminus of the tram network on the Gold Coast Highway.

The latest, filed with council this week, is Kailua, an 11-storey mixed use residential and commercial tower which will also become home to a cafe.

Bulletin reader Steve wrote: “What a bad joke. The character is gradually being bulldozed. The Head of Urbis ought to be embarrassed after that quote. Burleigh is taking the wrong path, make sure you consider this when it’s time to vote for council and state government.”

Patti added: “Trouble is, the people making all the decisions will be long gone soon...and we will have to live with the unpopular result.”

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An artist impression of Kailua, a mixed-use 11-storey tower on the Gold Coast Highway at Burleigh Heads.

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The proposed changes will neighbour the multimillion-dollar proposed redevelopment of the historic Old Burleigh Arcade into a 14-storey residential tower.

Urbis director Matthew Schneider said Burleigh Heads was “maturing into a better version of itself”.

“What we are seeing in central Burleigh is the fundamentals of the Gold Coast lifestyle coming together – the beach, amenities, access to services and a distinct neighbourhood with access to public transport,” he said.

Urbis director Matthew Schneider. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“Burleigh Heads is a great case study of a contemporary neighbourhood and if you look anywhere in Australia any neighbourhood with those features, that’s the place where people want to live.”

Urbis published a report in December which revealed more than $5 billion of residential development or infrastructure was in the pipeline for Burleigh and surrounding suburbs.

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The Norfolk development. Picture: Glenn Hampson

There are 35 residential, commercial and infrastructure projects are either under way or planned in the Burleigh-Miami area.

More than $687 million alone is going into residential and commercial developments.

Among the new projects are the sellout eight storey Luna tower which is under construction on Goodwin Terrace.

Goodwin Terrace and the Gold Coast Highway are the epicentre of a new development boom. Picture: Glenn Hampson

The site next door is also being developed to create the 15-unit Norfolk tower.

Council is set to consider both Kailua and the old Burleigh theatre projects which it meets again from next month.

The Urbis report also revealed the dramatic changes to the Burleigh property market in recent months.

Burleigh Heads house prices rose 18.3 per cent in 12 months to a median of $905,000, according to REIQ data up to the June quarter.

This price represents a surge of 46.8 per cent over five years, making it one of the best performing suburbs on the Gold Coast.