Gold Coast development: First look at four-tower mega development in Coomera

A landmark development has been unveiled for Coomera, bringing much-needed housing and a new architectural icon to the city. SEE THE IMAGES

A four-tower mega development featuring more than 700 units has been unveiled for a Coomera site next to one of the city’s busiest arterial roads.

The towers, put forward by Cadmium Development, are the third stage of its under-construction Urbana project and will rise from between 16 and 25-storeys above their podium level.

It will be built on a site just east of Westfield Coomera on Foxwell Road and will have 720 units, restaurants, retail, a gym and medical centre.

Cadmium, in documents lodged with Gold Coast City Council, warns greater density is needed in the area to deal with the city’s accommodation crisis.

Artist impression of the proposed Urbana Stage 3 development which is planned for Coomera. Picture: Supplied

“This site is one of the only areas in the city where both an increase in height and density can be approved without a significant amendment to the City Plan,” the report reads.

“Given that Council has recently decided to step away from Amendments A, B and C (of the City Plan) and focus on a new planning scheme, it will likely be many years before any changes to density and height are made by Council.

“This will likely place much more stress on the current housing crisis.”

The report argues that, while the towers are much larger than any existing building in the suburb, they would not be the last.

“Although the project is a significant and ambitious undertaking, research of all existing comparable approvals on Foxwell Rd and the immediate locality has demonstrated that the development will be relatively consistent with emerging character, while being a landmark or feature to the area as desired by the relevant criteria in the Coomera Urban Village Masterplan,” the report reads.

It will be the project’s third stage. Picture: Supplied

“Two of the four buildings proposed will be built for the purpose of being exclusively used as rental properties, ensuring that the supply of housing to be delivered equitably addresses the shortage of rental properties as well as properties available for purchase.

“The landowner intends to retain ownership of both of the abovementioned buildings to ensure this vision is achieved.”

It is the latest step in a long journey for Cadmium to develop the site.

The council rejected the first stage of the project earmarked for a site on Coomera’s Foxwell Rd, in early 2018 over a range of environmental issues.

The largest of the buildings would be 25-storeys

Council voted the project down despite planning staffers recommending it be approved.

But the Planning and Environment Court overturned council’s decision after the developer appealed against the decision.

The project, first proposed in 2017, was for 134 town houses across a four-stage development.

The second stage, approved in 2020, feature four towers of up to six storeys.

It comes more than 12 years after the Gold Coast City Council’s planning committee approved a masterplan for the site.

Ultimately the Foxwell Rd site will have up to eight towers and 81 townhouses, as well as a 5000sq m park.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology then edited and approved for publication by an editor.