Super majority of councillors back new 17-level tourism tower in heart of Coolangatta
A new tower in the heart of Coolangatta has been given the green light and more are on the way, with the suburb’s population set to swell beyond 100,000 people within a few years.
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Coolangatta will get a new tourism tower after a super majority of city councillors backed plans for the 17-level building.
The decision suggests the 50.5m height in the precinct’s central heart will be the limit for future developments as the precinct faces a building boom on unused sites.
Officers had recommended approval of the apartment building on a 984sq m vacant site fronting McLean Street used for car parking for construction workers.
The vote at Thursday’s planning committee meeting was 4-1 with only Peter Young opposing the project, after he had concerns about the height uplift above the City Plan.
An officer’s report said the building would provide additional housing stock within the Centre area” to meet the intended target of 80,000-100,000 living within the Centre zones catchment area.”
An officer at the meeting said the tower had an “excellent standard of appearance” with well defined balconies. Level 16 would have a communal open space with pool and gym. Above that was a penthouse.
Coolangatta had varying building heights and the building at 55.5m was lower than some 84m high towers nearby, an officer said.
Only eight objections were received with the complaints of residents ranging from bulk and height of the tower to shadowing and traffic concerns.
But the officer said talks with the developer had resolved these concerns.
Area councillor Gail O’Neill asked about traffic access from the street to the building but officers said those issues had been resolved.
She said she supported the project which was important for the city centre, and welcomed developers working with city officers to resolve issues.
When commenting on height, Cr O’Neill said: “I couldn’t imagine in the area higher than 50.5m. It’s a very constrained area.”
Planning chair Councillor Mark Hammel welcomed the co-operation between the applicant and officers, adding “it was brilliant to see new tourism accommodation project in the deep south of the city”.
The City Plan states Major Centres provide high order services, employment, retail, civic and community facilities for catchments of around 80,000 to 100,000 people and are intended to provide around 8000 jobs.
Coolangatta is included as the city’s “pre-eminent southern beachside destination” with significant tourism, sport, cultural, employment, retailing and residential uses linking to Tweed Shire. The Plan notes the precinct’s tourism potential with Coolangatta, and Kirra and Rainbow Bay, regarded as the heart of international surfing with world-renowned breaks.
EARLIER:
City officers are requesting developers reduce the size of a planned Coolangatta tower on a heritage site, after hundreds of residents lodged objections.
Separate applications for two towers are being considered by the City as the southern Gold Coast braces itself for a wave of development to cater for future population in the precinct.
It is estimated Coolangatta will be home to up to 100,000 residents.
Councillors at Thursday’s planning committee meeting are expected to support a recommendation by officers to approve a 17-level tower at 39 McLean Street after developers agreed to two levels being removed. Only eight objections were made.
But developers of a neighbouring site, at 35-37 McLean Street, are also being asked to scale back their project after 478 people - council received two petitions - objected to designs.
Melbourne-based rich lister Max Beck’s BeckDev – behind a landmark Melbourne CBD mall retaining a stunning historic brick interior structure – in 2021 filed plans with council to redevelop the historic Jazzland Dance Palais site and replace it with a 22-storey tower,
Their “Palais” tower plans included 175 units, a “nostalgic street-level plaza” and retaining the existing facade and elements of the former dance hall’s interior.
But City officers have requested a reduction in the scale and intensity of the podium to preserve the prominence and visual amenity of the Jazzland Dance Hall.
BeckDev declined to comment while the project was before council.
Officers have asked the developer to reduce the podium to a height of two storeys and provide a minimum setback of four metres to McLean Street and minimum 2.5 metres to the neighbours at Garrick Street.
They noted “the proposal does not achieve an excellent standard of appearance due to the bulky and dominant podium and tower form” or enhance the cultural heritage significance of Jazzland Dance Hall.
Residents in submissions complained the tower was a gross overdevelopment of the site, saying it did not comply with the City Plan for Coolangatta.
“This monolith is neither sympathetic or respectful to the site and ignores the historical relevance of the existing building,” a resident wrote.
They said the proposed design had failed to protect the intrinsic nature of the heritage listed 1928 Jazzland Dance Hall, noted in the Coolangatta Local Area Plan for its history.
The council had recognised the former Jazzland Dance Hall as playing a major role in the social life of Coolangatta and the southern Coast, they added.
The Dance Hall, opened in 1933, is considered a rare surviving purpose-built example of a ballroom from the interwar period in Queensland.
Consultants for BeckDev have told City officers the proposed building height of 68.05m was a substantial reduction from the original proposal and resulted from many meetings.
They say the current building height for the proposed development “will sit comfortably in the context of the surrounding urban environment”.
The development was proposed on a prominent site within the Coolangatta Major Centre, at the end of Griffith Street, over two land parcels with a combined site area of 2355 sqm.
“The size and prominence of the site lends itself to an increased intensity and scale of development as a landmark-type to “bookend” Griffith Street,” consultants said.
First look: New Coolie skyline
Coolangatta is to get a new super tower as the southern Gold Coast prepares to accommodate a future population of up to 100,000 residents.
The apartment building on a 984 sqm vacant site fronting McLean Street used for car parking is recommended for approval in a city officer report going to council’s planning committee on Thursday.
“The additional units will increase the number of people living within Coolangatta, supporting the commercial activities and services provided within the zone,” City officers said.
“This land use provides additional housing stock within the Centre area to meet the intended target of 80,000 to 100,000 people living within the Centre zones catchment area.”
Officers pointed to several other projects under construction including Rhythm, an eight-storey tower, and Sol, at 11 levels, both in Garrick Street.
The Greenmount Beach Resort site is to be redeveloped with a three-tower project planned. Council last month approved three towers at the $380 million Kirra hotel site.
Council received only eight objections to the new Coolangatta tower but those residents were united in saying they did not want a Surfers Paradise-style skyline 250m from their beach.
“You only need to look at Surfers and see how the buildings there are now an eyesore and detract from the natural beauty of the area,” a Coolangatta resident wrote.
“This will result in more gridlocks, more cars and more road rage on our streets. Public amenity is not improved by this edifice.
“It is about time that we thought more about our future and that of our city rather than being greedy, trying to fit more people in to smaller spaces and decreasing our quality of living.”
But consultants for the developers said they had responded to requests from council officers, reducing the height of the building from 62.9m to 55.5m by removing two storeys.
“The project offers the opportunity to generate appropriate higher intensity development that will help achieve the vision for the Coolangatta Central Precinct,” consultants wrote.
“The buildings’ edges have been rounded to soften the tower, pulling the building form off the edge, minimising the visual bulk. There are a variety of different apartment types catering for a broad range of demographics.
“The residential apartments provide well designed and generous spaces that could be used as a holiday home, short-term or long-term accommodation. Both the private, public and communal spaces have been designed to accommodate those looking to relax, socialise and entertain in this beautiful coastal location.”
Officers said the development would create a tower with an “excellent standard of appearance” on a site used as an informal car park for construction workers.
“The subject site is located approximately 250m – as the crow flies – from the beach and Coolangatta Esplanade, one of the key natural features of the local area,” an officer wrote.
“Given this distance the proposal does not impact on this important local element and natural feature. The proposed development will not impact on these sightlines and the feature of the Kirra headland due to the proposal height of 55.5m.”
Area councillor Gail O’Neill welcomed the new designs and reduced height of the building, hoping future projects would follow the same path of consultation.
“It is really good when applicants do accept what council officers ask them to do and the reasons why and we get some co-operation. I’d like to see that continue,” she said.
The City Plan says Major Centres provide high order services, employment, retail, civic and community facilities for catchments of around 80,000 to 100,000 people and are intended to provide around 8000 jobs.
Coolangatta is included as the Gold Coast’s “pre-eminent southern beachside destination” with significant tourism, sport, cultural, employment, retailing and residential uses linking with Tweed Shire.
The Plan notes the precinct’s tourism potential with Coolangatta, and Kirra and Rainbow Bay, regarded as the heart of international surfing with world-renowned surf breaks and host of international surfing events.
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