Southport’s Queen Street declared the Coast’s “golden mile” with five big projects planned

SOUTHPORT’S Queen St has been dubbed the Gold Coast’s “golden mile”, with five high-rise projects valued at more than $1 billion either proposed or approved in the past year.

Queen St dubbed ‘the golden mile’

SOUTHPORT’S Queen Street has been dubbed the Gold Coast’s “golden mile” with five high-rise projects valued at more than $1 billion either proposed or approved in the past year.

One of the suburb’s oldest streets is being swept by a new wave of developments on the back of the light rail and the introduction of the Southport Priority Development Area (PDA).

The five Queen Street projects feature a mixture of high-rise and medium-rise projects including the redevelopment of the historic Sundale Motel, twin towers of up to 45-storeys on the corner of Scarborough Street and a 35 level high-rise on the corner of White Street.

The strip falls within the Southport PDA which means all the developments are almost certain to be approved.

Area councillor Dawn Crichlow said the street, named after Queen Victoria when the township was first surveyed in 1874, was getting a new lease of life.

However, despite the development, she said the street would retain its character as an area with plenty of greenery.

Artist impression of the proposed Ignite development on the corner of Queen and Lather Streets, Southport, Source: Gold Coast City Council

“Queen St is the Gold Coast’s golden mile and these projects are going to creates thousands of jobs which will mean lots of happy endings,” she said.

“A lot of the existing buildings there are tired and these new buildings are good quality designs but we included decent setbacks of around 4m to keep the feel of being a garden centre.

Artist impression of Oxford on Queen Street development on the corner of Queen and Scarborough Streets. Source: Gold Coast City Council

“These are all happening because of the light rail and the PDA and it is clear that people want to work, live and play in Southport and Queen St is one of the places they can do this.”

However, the addition of nearly 1000 extra apartments in the one street is putting pressure on the council to find a long-term solution to the area’s traffic woes.

An artist impression of a 14-storey building planned for the Sundale Motel site.

Queen St is already regarded as one of the city’s most congested roads and is set to become a major issue at March’s council election.

Southport candidate Susie Gallagher is campaigning for a closer analysis of the traffic impacts of each development.

Ms Gallagher, who previously contested the seat in 2012, said she supported development and job creation but said roads were already struggling with traffic congestion.

Susie Gallagher, Gold Coast Council Candidate for Division 6.

“I am absolutely thrilled that developers are interested in Southport and these projects are breathing new life into the area, however I have concerns about the ease and speed at which some planning decisions are being made,” she said.

“I think there needs to be greater consideration for the impact of developments on traffic because these five projects could mean at least 1000 extra cars on Southport’s roads.”

The Bulletin revealed in October that the council had discussed introducing slip lanes into congested roads to help move traffic better and Queen St was named as a prime contender.

Gold Coast City councillor Dawn Crichlow says Queen Street is the Gold Coast’s Golden Mile. Picture: Tim Marsden

Knight Frank co-director Mark Witheriff sold the Oxford on Queen site last year and said the current hunger for development along the street was a result of both the light rail and the Southport PDA.

He said further redevelopment could be in the pipeline for Queen Street, either in the current or a future property cycle.

Artist impression of a proposed development at 77 Queen Street, on the corner of White Street. Source: Gold Coast City Council

“Through a combination of the light rail and the PDA, the plans to get greater density, people and activity in Southport is clearly working,” he said.

“There is now a higher and better use for some of those 1960s-era buildings that are along there but the market will only allow for a certain number to occur in any one cycle.”

A brief history of the Queen St convenience shop

QUEEN Street has changed dramatically over the past 123 years but one thing has remained constant — its historic convenience shop.

Southport as a village had existed for less than 20 years when the wood panel building was erected in 1893, the same year Queensland’s coat of arms was adopted.

The Queens Convenience Store owner Cliff Krishnasamy. Picture: Richard Gosling

The building is one of the Gold Coast’s oldest and has been a home to many businesses over the years, including a long stretch in the 20th century as the Colonial Store.

Cliff Krishnasamy has owned the historic building for eight years and said its longevity popular talking point with customers.

“It is really exciting to work in the old building a lot of people come in and like the old fashion style as well as old style service,” he said.

“There used to be a dirt road outside this shop many years ago and people would tie up their horses out front back in the early days.

“A lot has changed but this building will be here for a long time.”