Residents back councillor who admits $50mn Surfers Paradise city asset should not be sold
Council’s logic behind selling a massive public asset in Surfers Paradise has come under fire, with one constituent warning it will be “another nail” in the coffin of the embattled tourism hotspot.
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One of the city’s biggest public assets will go hit the market after a landmark council decision.
But a councillor believes his colleagues got it wrong when they voted to sell the Bruce Bishop car park – and residents have backed his call.
Councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden in a Facebook post revealed why he was one of five councillors at Tuesday’s full council meeting to oppose the sale which will see council put the Surfers Paradise transit centre and car park, one of its biggest assets, out for public tender.
The vote was 8-5 with councillor Bayldon-Lumsden, Darren Taylor, Peter Young, Glenn Tozer and Daphne McDonald opposed to the decision. Mayor Tom Tate did not vote, and Robina’s Hermann Vorster was absent from the meeting.
Cr Taylor had foreshadowed a motion that an assessment should be made of carparking needs in the city’s tourism heart.
He also wanted the report to look at the open space needs in Surfers Paradise.
Cr Bayldon-Lumsden in the post, the first councillor to speak publicly about the deal, wrote: “Ultimately I could not be satisfied that the sale of the property at this time was in the best long term interests of the city.
“This is a large 18,000m2 site in the heart of Surfers Paradise which will only become scarcer and more attractive for the community over time.
“I don’t believe such a large block in such a central location is surplus to the city’s needs – when we are a city that supplies carparks, public open-spaces, civic hubs, sporting facilities, event zones, etc.
“Also, I am not convinced that in a few short years we will all have abandoned our cars, be living in some public transport nirvana and all be using the light rail – although I am fully in support of the network – to get to and from Surfers, which some of the argument for sale seemed to hinge upon.”
Cr Bayldon-Lumsden has 4400 followers on Facebook and he received much support for his post before turning off comments due to defamatory remarks.
A resident asked how council was going to address affordable carparking given there were limited spaces and “it’s not always viable to take the tram in”.
Another resident agreed, writing: “My question as well. I routinely use this car park if I have to venture into Surfers Paradise for anything, whether dinner for the family. It is literally the only place to park which is ever reliably both available, and won’t bankrupt you in fees.”
Cr Bayldon-Lumsden in his reply said area councillor Darren Taylor had asked for a report providing more information about carparking but was not backed by a majority of councillors.
A resident in a response said: “I know a lot of people use the car park as it’s affordable than taking the tram in when you have a family. Looks like council is not going to address carparking it’s a shame.”
Another constituent warned “this will be another nail in the coffin for Surfers”.
During the full council meeting on Monday, Cr William Owen-Jones said the asset had needed $10-12m of upgrade works in recent years and the structure was slowly coming to the end of its 20-to 25-year life expectancy.
Cr Cameron Caldwell admitted councillors had some major conflicts about the sale of such a large public asset.
But a report to the council established it was the right time to make that decision and the money from the sale could provide important infrastructure for the city, he said.
The report on the sale at this point remains confidential with the much of the debate staged in closed session. The sale of the car park is expected to generate more than $50m in funding for the council.
EARLIER: THE Bruce Bishop car park, one of the city’s biggest public assets, will be sold.
A majority of councillors at a full council meeting on Monday backed a recommendation that the car park was surplus to needs and could be disposed by public tender.
The vote was 8-5. Those councillors opposed were Darren Taylor, Peter Young, Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden, Glenn Tozer and Daphne McDonald.
Area councillor Darren Taylor who was opposed to the sale had put foreshadowed a motion that an assessment should be made of carparking needs in the city’s tourism heart.
He also wanted the report to look at the current and future open space needs in Surfers Paradise.
But councillors supported the recommendation for the sale.
Earlier, Cr Owen-Jones said the asset had required between $10m to $12m of upgrade works in recent years.
The structure was slowly coming to the end of its life with a 20 to 25-year life expectancy, he said.
Less than 10 buses stopped at the centre each week and the retail outlets could be best described “as monthly” in terms of vacancies or tenancies.
“It makes sense for the city to go to the market,” he said.
Cr Cameron Caldwell admitted councillors had some major conflicts about the sale of such a large public asset.
But a report to council established it was the right time to make that decision and the funding from the sale could provide important infrastructure for the city, he said.
EARLIER: MAYOR Tom Tate will not take part in the debate on the sale of the Bruce Bishop car park, after councillors cautioned him about staying in the room due to a conflict of interest.
Cr Tate is part of a consortium which owns land at the Surfers Paradise Bowls Club across the road from the car park and transit centre, one of the city’s largest assets.
At a full council meeting after 1pm on Monday, Cr Tate made a declaration before debate on the sale started, seeking to stay in the Evandale chamber.
“I have entered into a contract of sale on these lots that is not subject to finance and given that I have knowledge and expertise that can assist council and its deliberation and decision on this matter,” he wrote.
“I believe it is in the public interest that for me to participate in the matter including discussion and debate on the matter and voting on the matter.”
But governance committee chair William Owen-Jones suggested it was “in the best interests of council” that the Cr Tate leave the room. He was backed by all other councillors.
Deputy Mayor Donna Gates chaired the meeting, which went into to closed as area councillor Darren Taylor sought information on the proposed sale,
Mayor Tate, prior to the meeting, told the Bulletin he had not formed a view but warned the car park could not remain in its poor condition.
“Whether we sell it or not, something must be done because to keep it like it is now is wrong,” he said.
“Just look at it. To do nothing is going to be a blight on Surfers Paradise.
Updated council meeting minutes show other councillors at a governance committee on Thursday went into closed session in the Evandale Chamber and were still clearly divided.
The vote at committee was 4-3 in favour of a recommendation to go the market and get a buyer for the centrally located site just south of Cavill Mall in the heart of the Glitter Strip.
Those in favour at committee were chair Cr Owen-Jones, councillors Brooke Patterson and Mark Hammel along with acting Cr Gates.
Councillors Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden and Daphne McDonald were opposed along with Cr Taylor who wanted a further investigation. Peter Young who was at committee left before the vote.
Committee minutes, provided to the Bulletin, show Cr Taylor earlier had put forward a motion calling for an assessment of the impacts of the reduction of car parks.
He also wanted a report on the “current and future open space needs” in the city tourist heart.
EARLIER: THE battle of Bruce Bishop carpark in Surfers Paradise is about to enter round three, with councillors split on whether to again controversially decide to sell it or not.
On Monday the full council will decide whether to sell it or upgrade the site to become major parkland and a civic space.
Councillors are divided while a property expert say they will never get a better price for the public asset – one of the Gold Coast’s largest – likely to secure $50 million-plus for city coffers.
Mayor Tom Tate said he had not formed a view but warned it could not remain in its poor condition.
“Whether we sell it or not, something must be done because to keep it like it is now is wrong,” he said.
“Just look at it. To do nothing is going to be a blight on Surfers Paradise.”
The city has come close to selling twice. In 2004 a council-endorsed sale plan was axed after a public backlash. In 2018 it was sold for $48 million despite major opposition from a Surfers Paradise protest group – before the offshore-based buyer consortium pulled out of the deal.
Now, updated council meeting minutes show other councillors at a governance committee on Thursday went into closed session in the Evandale Chamber and were still clearly divided.
The vote at committee was 4-3 in favour of a recommendation to go the market and get a buyer for the centrally located site just south of Cavill Mall in the heart of the Glitter Strip.
Those in favour at committee were chair William Owen-Jones, councillors Brooke Patterson and Mark Hammel along with acting Mayor Donna Gates.
Councillors Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden and Daphne McDonald were opposed along with Councillor Darren Taylor who wanted a further investigation. Peter Young who was at committee left before the vote.
Committee minutes, provided to the Bulletin, show Cr Taylor earlier had put forward a motion calling for an assessment of the impacts of the reduction of car parks.
He also wanted a report on the “current and future open space needs” in the city tourist heart.
Councillors cannot discuss what occurred in closed session but details made public show Cr Taylor wanted the report to look at “the significant population growth” and how surrounding properties would benefit from a “high quality public civic space”.
Officers as part of reporting could create a business case and funding model “to continue the site at Bruce Bishop as a carpark”, he suggested.
Council sources suggest Surfers Paradise will need more green spaces to cope with future predicted increases in population from super tower unit development.
“In order to meet population growth from the projections, there will be a need for better land being available for parks,” a council source said.
But a majority of councillors at committee instead supported the recommendation that the car park was “surplus to the city’s requirements” and could be disposed of by public tender.
They sought a qualified probity Adviser to be appointed by the city solicitor to oversee the public tender process.
Council’s CEO would be given the power to determine the outcome of the tender process and terms of the contract of sale.
Money obtained from the sale of the 1640-space car park would go to the strategic priorities reserve, for cash on hand for example light rail upgrades.
Ray White Surfers Paradise boss Andrew Bell said council would never get a better price than offloading unwanted assets during the existing property boom, the city’s biggest since the 1980s.
The council would need to have a “compelling reason” to hold on to any of its unneeded assets, he said.
“You need to get the timing right because the peak of the market only comes along once every seven-to-10 years,” he said.
“There is no question Bruce Bishop Carpark would not be best held by council and would be best done by a private consortium.
“Selling it would make a lot of sense and it does need a redevelopment, whatever that may mean and there is plenty of airspace above it which is being wasted.”
The future of the asset has sparked an almost two-decade debate in the community which saw protests by Surfers Paradise business leaders and a probe by the State’s corruption watchdog.
In 2019 the council was cleared by the Crime and Corruption Commission of several complaints including the handling of the then-controversial planned sale of the carpark.
A year earlier the councillors had moved to sell the car park for $48 million so council could build the HOTA culture precinct without hiking up rates.
Cr Tate had to remove himself from discussions due to his involvement in a consortium owning neighbouring land at the Surfers Paradise Bowls Club.
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