Arundel Hills Country Club: First look at new masterplan for controversial housing development
The developer behind the controversial Arundel Hills Country Club revamp has unveiled dramatic new plans. SUBSCRIBE TO SEE THEM
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The developer behind the controversial Arundel Hills Country Club revamp has unveiled new plans which will make the housing project ever bigger than the state government requested.
The new masterplan for the former golf club site reveals the 3Group Consortium will build nearly 800 homes, far above the minimum of 650 set by the Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon when she overruled the Gold Coast City Council and revived the project.
It comes just a week out from the state election, in which housing supply is set to be a key issue.
The site will be divided into five precincts, only two of which will be residential, with the rest to become sporting facilities for A.B. Patterson and the council or open space and conservation.
“(There will be) staged residential subdivision within precinct 1 and precinct 2, for a variety of lot sizes ranging from 187 sqm to 2034 sqm, and delivering a combined minimum 650 dwellings across the site,” the masterplan reads.
“A total of 790 dwellings are achieved under the Masterplan.”
The development is dramatically larger scale than that originally proposed by developer 3Group, with the state using a Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) to enforce the changes.
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.
A spokesman for the consortium said the project would be delivered in stages in a “timely and efficient manner” which would be fast-tracked to begin as soon as it is approved by the council.
“Upon the application being approved, we will be in a position to commence works almost immediately thereafter,” he said.
“Prioritising open green space has always been an integral component of the development and this remains the case and our adherence to the terms of TLPI will ensure that open green spaces and wildlife corridors will be maintained and sporting precincts will be available for use by the community.
“We will strive to create a precinct that the local residents and visitors can enjoy and will be proud of, whether it is for the purpose of enjoying a walk in nature, meeting up with friends or playing sport.”
Ms Scanlon in September overruled a council decision and approved the redevelopment to secure more housing
This came despite significant opposition from residents who were against the proposed development.
The LNP have vowed to “totally revisit” the proposal if elected on Saturday.
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.
Town planners Urbis, on behalf of the developers, in the documents say the new plans meet the requirements set out in a temporary local planning order (TLPI) introduced by Ms Scanlon earlier this year.
“The proposed development represents a uniquely rare opportunity to deliver a significant influx of housing in a variety of forms and scales, within an existing urban area that is serviced by all essential infrastructure,” the town planners wrote.
“The proposed development is an extremely efficient use of the site, replacing a former private golf course with a combination of mixed residential densities and supporting non-residential activities, sports and recreation land, and open space and conservation areas.
“The sports and recreation land would be available to the general public when not being used by A.B. Patterson College for the Northern sub-precinct and at all times for the Southern sub-precinct.”
This would increase the overall supply of publicly accessible sport and recreation land within the city, as the former private golf course was not open to the public without exceptions and terms of entry, town planners added.
The proposed development was “an outright superior outcome” to the existing abandoned golf course.
Town planners said the proposed minimum 650 dwellings included a mix of accommodation and would have a minimum 20 per cent affordable housing component.
They said “this outcome significantly advances housing and growth targets for the city and SEQ region”.
Town planners in the application talked up the “higher and better use” of the site.
The Coast was home to approximately 35 golf courses, placing the city at the top of the list for golf courses per capita in Australia, they said.
“This significant competition, evidenced by the proximity of several golf course in relation to the site, is reinforced by the fact that the Arundel Hills Country Club entered into voluntary administration,” they said.
“Furthermore, golf courses are extremely land-consumptive sports and recreation uses and often have lower accessibility for the general public than other alternatives, such as traditional sporting fields.”
Area councillor Joe Wilkinson said the lodging of application, after the approval of the Minister for the TLPI, was to be expected. He said he would be meeting with City officers to get further detail and intended to provide an update to residents.
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