Arundel Hills Country Club: LNP vow to ‘totally revisit’ controversial

The LNP will “totally revisit” the controversial decision to approve a large-scale development at the Arundel Hills Country Club if elected this month.

The LNP will “totally revisit” the controversial decision to approve a large-scale development at the Arundel Hills Country Club if elected this month.

Incumbent Housing Minister and Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon in September overruled a council decision and approved the redevelopment on the Arundel Hills Country Club site which would allow 650 homes on the 67ha site.

Despite questions over whether it was possible to reconsider the decision, Opposition frontbencher Tim Mander said the move needed to be reviewed.

“We obviously have a housing crisis at the moment and we need to build more houses but it’s incredibly important that we build them in the right places and that we consult with the community and in this case, Meaghan Scanlon has done neither of those things,” he said.

Tim Mander Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

“This is designated as recreational green space and this is what we need here on the Gold Coast and it’s the reason why the Gold Coast Council did not approve this development.

“For Meaghan Scanlon to come in over the top is a great overreach and totally inappropriate. We will totally revisit the situation and on the face of it, it seems like an inappropriate place for this level of development, particularly with the way it’s zoned at the moment.

“We will definitely look at how appropriate that is and whether that decision needs to be reversed.”

The development is dramatically larger scale than that proposed by developer 3Group, with the state using a Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) to enforce the changes.

Artist impressions of Arundel Hills Country club redevelopment. Picture: Supplied.

This came despite significant opposition from residents who were against the proposed development. More than 60 per cent of the site will be retained for recreation, open space and conservation.

Ms Scanlon defended her decision and said it was critical to creating more housing.

“Tim Mander says we need more housing, but then in the very same sentence opposes it – make it make sense,” she said.

“Frontline workers and young people don’t just want more affordable homes, they need them.

“This golf course was disused and closed. It went through two rounds of consultation. My decision actually makes sure more than 66 per cent of the land is sport, recreation, open space or conservation area while also delivering much-needed homes.

Queensland Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon Picture Adam head

“It’s an unsurprising attitude from Tim Mander when he opposed housing in his own electorate and the LNP have opposed thousands of homes on the Gold Coast at a time when everyone knows we need more houses.

“The Federal LNP’s own Housing Spokesperson says ‘NIMBY-ism is poison for young people,’ - what does Tim Mander and the LNP on the Gold Coast have to say about that?”

The Gold Coast needs more than 6000 new dwellings each year to meet state-set targets, however just 4771 residential dwellings were approved by the council in 2023.

Artist impressions of Arundel Hills Country club redevelopment. Picture: Supplied.

A new development application will be required from 3Group, which owns the site.

Under its previous proposal, which was rejected by the council, the developer wanted to build 368 homes which would become home to more than 1200 people.

It vowed to keep 7.97ha, or 59 per cent of the site’s existing koala habitat.

Some of the site will be granted to the neighbouring A.B. Patterson College, which will become a sporting hub open to the community.

3Group welcomed Ms Scanlon’s decision and is understood to be considering its options.

“We are pleased with the Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) that has been released and gazetted by the Government,” a spokesman for the developer said.