Councillors split on approving two more towers on $138m Kirra beach hotel site
The $380m planned redevelopment of the Kirra Hotel site has divided councillors, after a sensational vote at a planning committee meeting.
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The $380m planned redevelopment of the Kirra Hotel site has divided councillors, after a sensational split vote at a planning committee meeting.
Residents fearing a “generic high-rise belt” will be created on the southern Coast, were buoyed after watching on from the gallery at the Evandale chambers on Thursday.
The vote on approving a second and third tower on the site was split 3-3. Those in favour were Mark Hammel, William Owen-Jones and Pauline Young.
Councillors voting against were Hermann Vorster, Peter Young and Deputy Mayor Donna Gates – all of them raising concerns about building height along with a potential “abuse of process” given the development gathered size across a decade of applications.
As acting committee chair, Cr Gates followed convention in her casting vote by backing the officer’s recommendation of approval. The committee vote was 4-3 in favour.
Councillors are now seeking more conditions before a final decision at full council.
Councillors Gail O’Neill and Cameron Caldwell volunteered to leave the chamber due to conflicts of interests, having received $10,000 each from the site owners before the 2016 poll for their re-election campaigns.
Veteran councillor Daphne McDonald was opposed to the development but as a “visitor” to the committee could not vote. “It still looks to me like a large bulky blob,” she said.
Cr Vorster after earlier meeting residents asked officers about approving a “Coolangatta-style development” in a Neighbourhood Centre.
He questioned approval of “a bulky podium” of six storeys where the length was “three quarters of a football field” and its impact on “the coastal village of Kirra”.
“I’m not convinced it sits well within the context of the area,” Cr Vorster said.
Officers under questioning confirmed the resort rooftop bar on the hotel building would be opened from 7am to 10pm, and only for hotel guests.
“I think this needs to be locked down,” Cr Vorster said. New conditions could include an on-site manager and complaints register for noise.
The building height for the area is three storeys, and the original approval in 2013 only allowed for buildings of 15 storeys and 10 storeys.
The new application removes a fourth building and sees “consolidation of stages 2 and 3”.
The first building, previously approved, is 16 levels. A second tower will be increased from 10 to 13 levels and a third up from four storeys to seven.
Cr Gates, who also met with residents, asked officers how the 3-storey level limit remained yet larger buildings were approved to the north and south of the site.
Officers in their report highlighted that the site was 500m west of the Coolangatta central business area and about 1.77km east of the Gold Coast Airport.
The area included a mix of building heights which range up to 25 storeys on the eastern Coolangatta side of the headland to 15 storeys to the west.
“The site is located within a Neighbourhood Centre, where higher intensity outcomes are envisaged. The proposed height is considered to be in keeping with the established character of the broader area,” officers wrote.
Unit owner and long term Coast businessman John Henson, before the meeting, said residents were opposed only to the “overscaling” of the project rather than the development itself.
Outside the meeting, he said: “We are pleased that half of the Planning and Environment committee has recognised that the proposed development is a massive departure from the City Plan and doesn’t warrant approval.”
Kirra resident Sue-maree McEnearney who researched the application for property owners said the height and bulk of buildings were “completely inconsistent with the character of Kirra and opposed by residents”.
The new precinct, if changes are approved, will be completed in 2026. The Kirra Beach Hotel was closed in February 2021 after 65 years.
Resident last minute plea: Government asked to call in Kirra hotel development
Residents are asking the state government to intervene as the Gold Coast City Council is poised to approve the massive $380m redevelopment of the Kirra Hotel site.
They say it will turn the southern Coast into a “generic high-rise belt”, take people away from the Coolangatta commercial heart during Covid recovery and create a traffic nightmare.
Worse still, by putting a pool and bar on the rooftop of one building, neighbouring residents predict it will create more noise than the old Kirra pub.
“The previous outdoor bar at the Kirra Hotel was continuously flaunting the noise restrictions and resulted in many complaints from neighbours,” a resident wrote, in an objection letter.
City officers at a planning committee meeting on Thursday will recommend approval of two buildings to be added to the one tower under construction on the 8973 sqm site.
Residents in their objections say the building height for the area is three storeys, and the original approval in 2013 only allowed for a building of 15 storeys and 10 storeys.
The first of the new buildings being constructed now will reach 16 levels. Approval of the latest application will see towers of 14 and 7 levels on the site.
In an email sent to state Planning Minister Steven Miles on the eve of the council vote, residents asked the government to “call in” the project to maintain earlier approvals for lower height.
Unit owner and long term Coast businessman John Henson said residents were opposed only to the “overscaling” of the project rather than the development itself.
“We would be happy to pursue a win-win option with the developer, who had they engaged with local residents in proper consultation would not be in this situation right now,” he said.
“The right thing to do is (for the state government) to call it in and take control of it. It’s four times bigger than it should be. It’s out of control.”
Residents in their objections to council planning officers said the “the building is clearly out of character with what is envisaged for a Neighbourhood Centre”.
KTQ development director Jeremy Holmes said the development application was a modification to the original masterplan, reducing the number of buildings from four to three.
“The DA Modification is seeking an additional five apartments and an additional 14 hotel rooms (to the approved scheme). The proposal includes an additional 1400 square metres of retail and commercial space,” he said.
“The building at the rear of the site will be 13 storeys with a rooftop pool, compared to the 16-storey “Miles” building currently under construction.
“We have also worked extremely hard over the last decade – in conjunction with local community stakeholders – to further improve and refine the design to ensure it enhances the site and its relationship to Kirra.
“Since the masterplan was proposed to be modified, KTQ has held walk-in face-to-face information sessions, provided newsletter updates to all residents within 400m of the site, and updated the project website with the latest information.
“We have been openly engaging with interested stakeholders on any changes to the plans, and continue to do so.”
Officers in their report said the increase in the height of building 2 was from 10 storeys to 13 storeys (11.2m higher) and of building 3 from four storeys to seven storeys (5.1m higher).
Carparking would increase from 540 to 621 spaces, and the number of residential apartments boosted by 15 additional units hotel suites with 14 rooms.
“The site is located within a Neighbourhood Centre, where higher intensity outcomes are envisaged. The proposed height is considered to be in keeping with the established character of the broader area,” officers wrote.
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