Arundel Hills Country Club: Planning expert Paul Burton warns greater development is needed

A leading Gold Coast planning expert has warned the city must accept greater development or face “condemning a generation of children” to never being able to afford to buy a home.

A leading Gold Coast planning expert has warned the city must accept greater development or face “condemning a generation of children” to never being able to afford to buy a home.

Professor Paul Burton, a member of the Cities Research Institute Griffith University says the city’s lack of developable land meant it was critical that, when sites become available, they are “appropriately” transformed to relieve pressure on the market.

He backed the state government’s controversial move to overrule a council decision and approve the redevelopment on the Arundel Hills Country Club site and said the plan to build at least 650 homes on the 67ha site was the right move.

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

“I think it’s a good outcome and it won’t mean the whole site will be covered in new dwellings and, if this were not to happen, then it would be very difficult to see how the Gold Coast City Council will get anywhere near the (state-set) target of approving new dwellings,” he said.

“If you don’t take the opportunity here, rents will rise, prices will increase and we will see more people at the end of the line living in tents and cars,” he said.

“We are all in the same boat unless you can stop migration and population growth (but realistically) you cannot stop Sydneysiders coming here no matter how much some people want this while if you say you can come but we don’t want to build more houses then the consequences of that is what we have right now.

Professor Paul Burton Cities Research Institute, Griffith University

“If we want to condemn the next generation of children and young people to the prospect of buying never buying a home of their own, that’s what will happen unless we start to accept some more change.”

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.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon approved the development, at a dramatically larger scale than that proposed by developer 3Group, using a Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI).

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 last week justified the decision, highlight the Gold Coast’s slowing housing approvals.

“I have stepped in after council rejected a housing estate proposed for the site which fell short of the government’s minimum expectations to fully use this land for more affordable housing,” she said.

“There aren’t enough homes for our key workers or young renters and ageing Gold Coasters. My decision on the Arundel TLPI means we can seize an opportunity to unlock land we have available to deliver hundreds more homes close to infrastructure and services.”

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.

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

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.

Queensland Minister for housing Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“We will create a precinct that finds a balance between providing much-needed housing and affordable housing, unlocking greenspaces for public use and establishing sporting facilities with varied uses which can be used and enjoyed by the community into the future.”

However, Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) Gold Coast boss Andrew Henderson said many questions were yet to be answered about the impact of the project on the area.

“We need the housing but the state have come along without concern for the residents and overriding the decision of council,” he said.

“Will the state government stump up the money for improvements of roads and infrastructure for this project or are they just playing politics.”