Spit masterplan shows how Gold Coast cruise ship terminal will look
New images of the proposed offshore cruise ship terminal have been revealed, with a report revealing an important warning for the Gold Coast City Council.
Gold Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gold Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Spit master plan has new pictures of a proposed offshore cruise ship terminal and crucial warning for Gold Coast’s council — reduce impacts on coastal dunes and beaches.
A council design provided to State Government along with comments in the finished master plan gives the first glimpse of the impact of the building, carparking and jetty.
All up it could cost between $400 million and $650 million.
The master plan says the terminal must be positioned to “provide a strong address” to SeaWorld Drive with the facility contributing to the streetscape and visually linking to a village centre across the road.
“The main entry to the terminal building faces to the south — the direction from which most passengers will arrive,” the master plan says.
“A passenger drop off and short-term parking area is located adjacent to the main entrance to the building.”
The idea is to create a “welcoming experience for passengers” with the wide open spaces giving a view to the dunes, the jetty structure, the cruise ships and Surfers Paradise skyline.
“The car park for the potential terminal can be used by visitors to the park and beach when not on ship days,” the report says.
The service access to the terminal building and jetty is on the north side, away from the passenger entrance.
The terminal is set back from the dunes and must provide enough space for an oceanway pathway west of the beach.
Landscaping would provide buffers which screens views of the terminal from the beach.
The State Government, in preparing the master plan, announced the process would not determine whether a cruise ship terminal should go ahead or be stopped.
“However, the master plan has considered how to manage the anticipated effects of a potential cruise ship terminal in Philip Park in relation to its built form, access arrangements, servicing layout and infrastructure requirements,’ the master plan report says.
The master plan’s “alternative” Philip Park site is an “attractive and landscaped area” with low-key parking including a covered area for events such as Aboriginal cultural experiences.
The council budget this month funds $1.25 million for further studies on the proposed offshore cruise ship terminal. Councillors Glenn Tozer, Peter Young and Daphne McDonald voted against it.
Mayor Tom Tate, after delivering the budget, strongly rejected suggestions he had lost his passion for the project, saying the CST was “put on pause” for the master plan.
“Now what we want is a terms of reference similar to the Port of Brisbane. Why should it be any different, so give us that,” he said.
“We will be doing a business case. The next bit is an environmental impact study. That is what the funding is for.
“We tick those two boxes then it will go to the State Government for the tick. The people on the Gold Coast want it, whether it happens in a year two it doesn’t really matter, as long as we get it for the city.”
If an environmental impact report flagged problems, the Mayor said he would be “the first person to vote it down”.
Authorities quizzed on stiff penalties for crude vandals
Authorities have been pressed on what consequences await the vandals behind the shocking defacement of trees along Burleigh’s Oceanview track, which drew a larger-than-usual crowd on Sunday morning.
‘The last of the method artists’: Tributes to renowned Coast painter
Tributes are being paid after the death of a Gold Coast artist whose works were collected by the likes of Jackie Kennedy Onassis and former PM Sir Robert Menzies.