Plans for giant Surfers Paradise tower canned

Ambitious plans for a 103-floor Surfers Paradise apartment tower that would have been the tallest in the southern hemisphere have been canned and the site put on the market. FULL DETAILS >>>

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AMBITIOUS plans for a 103-floor Surfers Paradise apartment tower that would have been the tallest in the southern hemisphere have been canned and the site put on the market.

The 328-metre ‘super’ building was intended to be part of a twin-tower venture called Orion Towers that was approved five years ago.

The Melbourne company behind the plan quietly began seeking interest in the Orion site two years ago and now has formally put it on the market.

The Chinese-owned Orion International Group is seeking expressions of interest in its holding, which fronts the Gold Coast Hwy and Markwell Ave.

Artist impression of the Orion Towers proposed for Surfers Paradise

It bought the 5278sq m Surfers site, known as the Thrifty property, for $25 million in early 2016 from Melbourne businessman Alan Ali.

Orion’s grand plan, which included a 76-level building, was to provide 1127 apartments and to include a five-star hotel and an observation restaurant 101 floors up.

The tallest apartment tower in the country is Melbourne’s Australia 108 at 319 metres.

Brad Merkur, of the Bourke agency, yesterday said the Orion project was to be a debut Queensland one for the Orion group.

“It has a full workbook in Victoria and has decided to concentrate its efforts there.

“The problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have made it very difficult to run such a massive project as Orion Towers from the other end of the country.”

Russell Rollington, who along with First National Surfers Paradise principal Bob Rollington is part of the team marketing the Orion holding, said the timing of the sale move was perfect.

Artist impression of the Orion Towers proposed for Surfers Paradise

“Developers, both domestic and international, are hungry for Gold Coast sites and in the past two months we’ve seen two complete city blocks in Surfers snapped up.

“The Orion site offers lots of options – it’s far from a given that any buyer would pursue the Orion Towers plan.”

The Orion group’s major shareholder is Auckland-based Yi Qin.

Its Victorian projects include a 14-floor tower in Dandenong and a 29-level one at Box Hill.

Originally published as Plans for giant Surfers Paradise tower canned