Secret development deal: Resident group asks council to detail negotiations on Main Beach’s Cable Park
A community group is calling on council to reveal details of a secret deal where a developer will pay to use and then help rehabilitate a park after building a supertower.
A COMMUNITY group is calling on council to reveal details of a secret deal where a developer will pay to use and then help rehabilitate a park after building a super tower.
The Bulletin in a report revealed developers of the 38-storey tower Midwater at Main Beach has a $300,000 bond for use of Cable Park and council “may work with the developer” to contribute to the upgrading of the precinct after the luxury apartment block is built.
Area councillor Darren Taylor told residents the deal allowed occupation of the park for three years, which was approved by the Queensland Government as it was a heritage area.
The park is the original reserve for the installation of the Pacific Telegraph Cable which connected Southport and Australia across the Pacific Ocean to Canada in 1902.
A heritage-listed Cable Hut dominates the site, which is popular with dog-walking locals. Readers on the Bulletin’s Facebook page described the deal as “disgusting” and win for the developer.
Main Beach Association leader Sue Donovan told the Bulletin her group would be seeking more information from council because the park’s upgrade could cost up to $500,000 given the designs shown to members.
“The MBA attended a meeting last year with Councillor Taylor and other stakeholders to view the plans for the upgrade of the park,” Ms Donovan said.
“We later learned of the proposal to have the developer pay for the cost of the redevelopment in return for use of the park as their construction site. We assumed that this would involve the developer contributing a large sum.”
Documents obtained by the Bulletin show negotiations on the project occurred before Cr Taylor’s term with the developer, York Property Holdings Pty Ltd, in April 2017 successfully appealing against development conditions set by an earlier council on the project.
The developer opposed five conditions on the code assessable application on the 1234 sqm block opposite the park, arguing it would not have unacceptable amenity impacts on the locality.
In January 2018 the parties by consent in the planning and environment court agreed to a changed development application which included 72 pages of conditions.
These included work and access to Cable Park where the developer could not undertake any construction activity or store or place materials, vehicles and machinery.
“The applicant-land owner must gain permissions from City of Gold Coast’s Parks and Recreational Services Branch prior to any incursion into existing open space,” the amended plans said.
The developer was required to submit to council approval for landscape plans in the park, and provide locations for retained vegetation.
After landscape works were completed, the developer was responsible for an “on maintenance” period of 12 months where any defects or damage was fixed.
The amended plans did not refer to a bond or possibility the developer may pay for the upgrade of the park.
EARLIER:
RESIDENTS are furious after the council signed off on a secret deal allowing a developer building a new Main Beach apartment tower to use a historic park during construction.
Complaints have been made to council officers about new fencing put around Cable Park which the developer can use for huts and equipment storage for three years.
A 38-storey tower called Midwater will be built nearby on a prime Narrowneck site after York Property Holdings slashed plans for a 55-storey building.
Surfers Paradise business leader Deborah Kelly, in an email to councillor Darren Taylor, asked what was the “community” benefit of gifting public park space to the developer of the nearby apartments and where would construction worker cars be parked.
Ms Kelly, a Cable Street property owner, said she believed council for the most part looked after the city’s parks but Cable Park was always “messy and unkempt”.
She accused council of not undertaking proper consultation and making public the deal.
“Why the developer needs the entire park has not been explained. Traffic management in this area with such small side streets is going to be a nightmare, especially with two other major developments going on within a few hundred metres, and that does not seem to have been adequately considered.”
Area Councillor Darren Taylor, after calls from irate residents, has met with community leaders and Historical Society members.
Cr Taylor wrote back to Ms Kelly: “The park has not been gifted to a developer. Application was made to utilise part of the park during the construction phase of Midwater.
“The developer is required to pay a $100,000 bond per year the park is occupied. The agreement allows occupation of the park for a maximum of three years which was approved by the Queensland Government as there is a heritage listing within the park.”
Cr Taylor said the developer would have to pay fees for using the site and “make good” on the park upon completion or risk losing the bond of up to $300,000.
“Any forfeited fees and occupation fees will go directly to the Cable Park park upgrade,” he said.
Cr Taylor said the council believed it was important to celebrate the importance of this park and “may work with the developer” to contribute to the cost upgrading the park.
“Concept drawings for an upgrade of Cable Park have been completed and approved by the Queensland Government,” he said.
Cr Taylor said any impact to Pacific Street and Cable Street would be assessed by the appropriate council team and residents alerted of changes.
Ms Kelly said: “Most (residents) were unaware of it and the few that were aware thought that it would be for a period of about six months or so.
“And if all of that is not bad enough, in my opinion their actions in annexing the entire park including the heritage listed hut and plaque, and half the footpath on the Main Beach Parade side shows how willing they are to abuse the privilege granted by the public.”
Ms Kelly and other residents told the Bulletin it set a dangerous precedent.
“Is this now the precedent for the entire city,” Ms Kelly said. “If the developer buys next to public land, will that public land be turned over for an indeterminate time to allow profiteering by developers at the expense of the community.”
Ms Kelly believes Midwater could not be approved without the gifting of the park.
“There was insufficient, virtually nil, consultation with neighbouring residents. The impacts on neighbouring owners, particularly Ocean Park Towers, have been ignored. The trade-off of what is an insignificant amount of money in the context of this development as little more than an insult to the community,” she said.
Originally published as Secret development deal: Resident group asks council to detail negotiations on Main Beach’s Cable Park
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