Tugun residents hail a ‘great outcome’ as council opts to cover over beach path

TUGUN  residents have declared victory, with the council dashing hopes of creating an oceanway on the southern Gold Coast.

No Tugun Path Group leader Kate Malouf with fellow resident David Williams.

UPDATED:

The Gold Coast City Council has unanimously voted to demolish any remaining encroachments on beachfront land, ending a land grab battle at Tugun.

The council will send out letters to residents in the next 10 days, with the demolition clearing the way for revegetation works.

It will mean beachgoers will not be able to access land in front of beachfront homes.

EARLIER: TUGUN  residents have declared victory, with the council set to dash hopes of creating an oceanway on the southern Gold Coast.

In a blow to protesters who campaigned to keep prime Tugun beachfront land in public hands, the Bulletin understands the council is in talks with the Griffith University Centre for Coastal Management to revegetate the natural walkway behind Golden Four Drive.

The council will today vote to demolish any remaining encroachments on the beachfront land, clearing the way for revegetation works.

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Mayor Tom Tate is a longtime opponent of the oceanway and said the pathway could not be left vacant.

“The fences will come down soon, so we need to work out what to do with this public land next, once encroachments are removed,” he said.

“In the meantime, we are consulting with the centre and its BeachCare groups, and I will be guided by their advice.

“We want these dunes to be protected and rehabilitated because they provide a natural line of defence from storms and erosion.”

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The Newman Government last week rejected applications by eight Golden Four Drive property owners to close a public road reserve behind their homes, allowing them to buy prime beachfront land.

More than 1563 people objected while just 173 of the 1736 submissions received supported the residents.

The proposed revegetation has been welcomed by the No Tugun Path Group, which campaigned for the road reserve to be closed.

Group leader Kate Malouf said the proposal was a “welcome compromise”.

“It is a compromise which lands somewhere between what the residents and protesters wanted,” she said.

“We are happy to see vegetation work given such consideration and, if approved, would be a great outcome.”

Applications made by residents to close the road late last year led to protests by the Friends of Currumbin community group, which attracted a police presence after reports of violence against protesters.