State government pays developers $15m for land for new Pimpama Cross River Rail station

The state government has continued its boomtime property spree, shelling out an eight-figure sum for land where a new Gold Coast train station will be built.

Artist impression of Pimpama Railway station.

The state government has continued its boomtime property spree, shelling out almost $15m for land for the new Pimpama heavy rail station and a nearby commuter carpark.

Property records show a 1.56ha site at Gainsborough Drive was purchased for $4.35m by the State from developer Mirvac Pacific on November 8.

The purchase of the future site follows the purchase of land for the station itself, previously owned by veteran Gold Coast developer Norm Rix and son Greg.

Title documents reveal a 2.616ha plot, destined for the bulk of the new station, was carved from property occupied by the neighbouring Pimpama City Shopping Centre and registered as a new lot in May.

The transaction for the land purchase has not yet been registered publicly registered and neither the developer nor the government would reveal what it cost taxpayers.

However, the Gold Coast Bulletin can reveal the state paid $10.23m, with the sale settling on June 21.

Plans for the new Pimpama heavy rail station on land the State paid $10.23m for.

The Pimpama land buy-up follows the $74m purchase from a developer of land at Helensvale needed for the Coomera Connector highway, a project that has suffered a $600m cost blowout.

The state has blamed skyrocketing construction costs for the budget shortfalls, which have also extended to the Gold Coast Light Rail extension.

Norm Rix said the state had “fully paid for” the Pimpama land in June at “a reasonable price” and was already working to create an access road which would be shared by his shopping centre.

The Pimpama station is one of three new Gold Coast stations under way as part of the Cross River Rail project, with others mooted for Hope Island and Merrimac.

Plans for the new Pimpama heavy rail station.

In June 2020 the $4.35m carpark site was given an unimproved land value of $155,000.

The newly-purchased carpark site, bordered by Mebbin St and the railway line, will host 200 carparking spaces under stage three of the Pimpama Station project, which will eventually have 580 spaces.

Mr Rix said he was “still debating” with the government about the number of parking spaces to be provided in the station’s first stage.

“They’re only providing about 230 car parks in (the first stage),” he said.

“When they acquired the land, we said they needed 500 in that particular part.

“If they don’t put those car parks in, (commuters) are all going to park in the shopping centre carpark.”

Gold Coast developer Norm Rix at his Ashmore Office. Picture Glenn Hampson

A statement from the Department of Transport and Main Roads said the parking would be delivered “in a staged approach in line with population growth, patronage numbers and links to other transport services”.

“In addition to park ‘n’ ride spaces, there will also be access to the station through walking, cycling, kiss ‘n’ ride facilities, and connecting bus services to ensure public transport users can access Pimpama station without having to drive,” the statement said.

“The Queensland Government continues to work closely with local residents and businesses, including in the nearby shopping centre, to identify and mitigate any potential issues.”

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Originally published as State government pays developers $15m for land for new Pimpama Cross River Rail station