Developer taken to court over act of ‘facadism’ on the historic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade

A group of Gold Coast locals have taken a developer and the city council to court in a last-ditch bid to stop one of the Glitter Strip’s few remaining heritage buildings from being bulldozed.

An artist’s impression of the De luxe, the Old Burleigh Theatre development

A group of Gold Coast locals have drawn a line in the sand on rampant development, taking a developer and the city council to court in a last-ditch bid to stop one of the Glitter Strip’s few remaining heritage buildings from being bulldozed.

The historic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade, which opened at Burleigh Heads in the 1930s as the De Luxe Theatre, was approved last year for yet another luxury high-rise.

The Gold Coast City Council approved the 14 storey project despite heritage listing the old theatre in 2019.

The Sydney based developers pledged to retain the iconic building’s red brick facade, but locals aren’t happy and have launched legal action in the Planning and Environment Court.

They formed an action group, We Are Burleigh, and are holding fundraisers to bankroll lawyers and town planning experts for the five day court appeal which starts on Monday.

Spokeswoman Nikki Archer said the community felt it had to take a stand to try to save the landmark as ‘overdevelopment’ steadily eroded Burleigh’s village character.

There has already been significant outcry over the extension of the light rail from Broadbeach to Burleigh, with a tram stop to be built right next to the arcade.

The Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade on the Gold Coast.

“Anyone who comes to Burleigh sees this building, the lawn bowls club across the road, the (Norfolk Pine) trees, the big open sky and the sparkling ocean,” she said.

“That’s why we live here. It’s why we don’t live in Surfers Paradise. It’s Burleigh, baby, and that’s why everyone’s fighting to save it.

“I won’t be able to go back into town if I see that building gone, it’ll break my heart.”

Ms Archer accused the developer and council of ‘facadism’ on the Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade site.

She said the planned apartment project was ‘poorly designed, too bulky and will completely close off the public for the first time in the site’s history’.

“They’ve missed the mark so badly with this design,” she said.

“It’s just a facade and a nod to the past. They haven’t taken into account the true spirit of the heritage listing.

“The community expectation was pretty loud and clear and this certainly hasn’t met community expectations.”

Ms Archer said the legal action was financially and emotionally draining but was all the community had left ‘to fight back and push back’.

“This is so important that it deserves judicial review,” she said.

“Win or lose, our voices will be heard.”

Originally published as Developer taken to court over act of ‘facadism’ on the historic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade