Strand Beach Club approved by Townsville City Council despite opposition

An apartment project filling in an empty space on the Strand will proceed, despite several councillors voting against it due to a lack of parking. See where it will be built.

The development planned for 71 The Strand. Photo: Warburton Investments.

The green light has been given for a controversial nine-storey apartment building to be built on the Strand, despite being voted against by several Townsville City Councillors.

Featuring 18 apartments and a two-level food and drink outlet, “high amenity” apartment project the Strand Beach Clubattracted 26 objections from 35 public submissions opposing the plan for it to be built at 71 The Strand, between the Watermark and Anelay.

Wednesday’s full meeting of Townsville City Council saw councillors addressed by those for and against the proposal before it went to a vote.

Opposition revolved around issues with the Strategic framework, zone code, setbacks, height, loss of views and privacy, ventilation, sunlight, parking and traffic impacts, while the proponent cited a carparking study which said there was “sufficient, accessible on-street parking available within the walkable catchment”.

The majority of councillors voted in favour of the development, while Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill, and councillors Ann-Maree Greaney, Suzy Batkovic, and Fran O’Callaghan were opposed.

The development planned for 71 The Strand. Photo: Warburton Investments.

Spearheading the Strand Beach Club on behalf of Brisbane-based Warburton Investments, BNC Planning director Benjamin Collings said he was very happy with the positive outcome after 18 months work on the project.

“To get the outcome, we worked through with the competing interests and we felt we did that,” Mr Collings said.

“There’s a lot of dynamics to these sorts of developments in those locations, but also a lot of energy is put into addressing things that the community … (and the) council bring up.

An image of the restaurant and unit project planned for 71 The Strand. Photo: Warburton Investments

“I couldn’t tell you how many times we amended this proposal to address all of these matters.”

From this point, he said they would complete a detailed design on certain elements over the next six months, bolstering landscaping and architectural design.

It was unclear when construction would proceed, saying “it’s up to the applicant, the landowner, and the developer to work out where economically things sit”

“It’s probably a 12 month process to get out of the ground potentially, if it’s pushed forward,” he said.

North Ward resident Mick Devine was unhappy that the Strand Beach Club project was proceeding. Picture: Leighton Smith.

Living behind the proposed development on Mitchell St, North Ward resident Mick Devine expressed disappointment with the decision to proceed after his impassioned address to council.

He was concerned about the lack of privacy, where half of the apartments had balconies overlooking his property, along with the scale of the building, which he said “doesn’t fit” with the Strand.

“It’s a solid concrete block, taking up the whole boundary to boundary with no landscaping apart from some planter boxes, … then there’s no carparking for restaurant guests,” he said.

The development planned for 71 The Strand. Photo: Warburton Investments.

“If you go down (to the Strand) on Friday night when the Night Markets are on, people have parked on every bit of grass, every curb, every driveway.

“It’s going to mean everybody else is going to have to walk further to get to wherever they want to go.”

The parking shortfall was a common issue cited by all councillors opposed to the project.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the proposal was inconsistent with the intent of the planning scheme around its height, lacked appropriate landscaping, blocked breezes and sunlight, overlooked neighbouring properties, with insufficient onsite parking.

Originally published as Strand Beach Club approved by Townsville City Council despite opposition