Gold Coast Development: Sunland boss Sahba Abedian reveals why developer is pushing ahead with billion of dollars of projects

Gold Coast developer Sunland is pushing ahead with projects worth more than $1 billion while other projects have collapsed. The company’s boss has revealed the secret behind the building push.

ONE of the Gold Coast’s most prominent developers has revealed the reason behind a recent flurry of activity

Q1 developer Sunland Group has rolled out a number of projects in the past month despite growing fears of a recession on the back of a softening of the property market.

Construction has begun two major developments while a new project was unveiled on Tuesday.

Managing director Sahba Abedian said steady interest from buyers had given the company the confidence to push ahead.

SUNLAND JOINS CONSORTIUM IN NEW VARSITY LAKES TOWERS

Sahba Abedian. Photo: Richard Gosling

“Despite the prior softening of the residential market conditions nationally, southeast Queensland is well poised for growth,” he said.

“Inquiries have continued to increase over the year, which is translating to sustained sales rates and opportunity for price growth across Brisbane and the Gold Coast.”

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Artist impression of Sunland’s The Lanes development on the Gold Coast.

In recent weeks the developer has placed cranes at its Hedges Ave site ahead of construction beginning on its $250 million luxury tower and at the $1.3 billion The Lakes precinct at Clear Island Waters.

Just this week a development application was filed by a consortium, which includes Sunland, to build four residential towers in Varsity Lakes.

Sunland yesterday submitted a revised development application for its proposed 180 Marine Parade tower which is earmarked for Labrador’s former KFC site.

The Labrador tower. Picture: Sunland Group

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According to documents submitted to the council, the tower would increase to 22 storeys from the 16-level design approved by the Gold Coast City Council on April 29.

It will include:

* 99 units with a mixture of one to three-bedroom options, plus two four-bedroom penthouses.

* 233 bedrooms.

* 178 carparking spaces.

* The scrapping of four planned ground-level villas which will be replaced by a gym, pool and recreational space.

It marks the third redesign of the project since it was first proposed in late 2015.

Under the original plans the tower was to be 36 storeys tall and have 217 units.

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How the tower originally looked.

This plan was scrapped in late 2018 and replaced with a significantly smaller 16-storey design.

At the time Sunland argued the smaller design was in response to the property market’s interest in boutique towers.

“Owner-occupiers, particularly downsizers, are seeking a lifestyle close to established amenity and natural beauty, without compromising on space, comfort and the convenience of large living areas, private entertaining spaces, and ample storage, ”Mr Abedian told the Bulletin in November last year.

“A central feature of 180 Marine Parade is the unique facade design, which is inspired by the fluid movement of the tidal sandflats in the adjacent Broadwater.”