‘Use it or lose it’ plan for projects

DEVELOPERS should face a use it or lose it rule if they put forward plans to build in Southport, forcing them to break ground rapidly.

That’s the view of civic leaders who say they want to cut down on abuse of rules which were designed to fast-track CBD developments.

More than 134 development applications have been made in Southport in the past year but Cr Dawn Crichlow says many developers have been disingenuous, submitting plans for highrises and other projects to gain approvals before putting the sites on the market.

She said other developers were continuing to sit on their sites without activity even after securing approval.

She said Southport was named a Priority Development Area (PDA) to put cranes in the sky and create jobs rather than facilitate “tick and flick” projects.

“I had one person come in and say they were ready to go and wanted to get their development started immediately and then two weeks after it was approved there was a ‘for sale’ sign outside their site,” she said.

“We have got to stop this happening, otherwise we are going to end up with a terrible reputation.

“I have spoken to council planning officers to see if we can get time limits on it, maybe two years to develop, but I am told it is governed by state legislation.”

Under existing legislation. developers have four years from the time of council approval to develop the site before their project is considered lapsed.

Any changes would require the support of the State Government. More than $1 billion of development was planned for Southport’s Queen Street in early 2016, with towers of up to 45 stories announced.

However, none of the projects earmarked for the strip, dubbed “the golden mile”, have eventuated and “for sale” signs are now outside most.

However, immediate past UDIA Gold Coast president Finn Jones, who was one of the key instigators in creating the PDA in 2013, cautioned against creating further on developers.

He said the number of applications submitted without immediate plans to build had a positive impact on the city.

“What Dawn and the council must understand is that the number of applications being submitted shows that people are having a go and that is not a bad thing for the Gold Coast,” he said.

“When you have that level of activity, people are still spending money and it also creates interest in the market, as well as competition.”

Among the projects which are still expected to go ahead are ASF Consortium’s giant gold tower, The AU, planned for a Scarborough St address.

Along the coastal strip, other tower developments approved by the council have also failed to progress beyond the planning stage.

These include at least six mid-high-rise towers planned for Chevron Island and twin towers planned for the site of the Niecon Plaza in Broadbeach.

However, Mayor Tom Tate has poured cold water on any plans to put pressure on developers to use their sites.

Cr Tate said he was “not keen” on putting shorter time limits on developers and that the sale of land holding approvals had benefits.

“For developers to put up a ‘for sale’ sign and test the market, if they do sell then the land is going to a person or consortium who has the finance to do a project,” he said.

“It leads into a chain of future jobs – there are many parts to this body and if you can keep it moving then the end product and result will be more development, more jobs and that is what we should focus on.” restrictions