Living in a theme park Nerang attraction would house 2000 people

A CHINESE billionaire’s plans for a theme park at Nerang would create a new suburb for more than 2000 residents.

Huang Qiaoling’s company Songcheng has lodged new documents with the Gold Coast City Council that show towers up to 25 storeys at the proposed $600 million Australian Legends World.

The plans follow the lead of US theme parks which inte- grate resorts and homes with the attractions.

The 448,971sq m development would be split into three precincts — the tourism area housing the theme park and a giant indoor ski slope, a residential area housing at least five towers and townhouses, and the neighbourhood centre which would include exclusive riverside homes.

The density of the towers could be as high as 769 bedrooms per net hectare and be 88m high — more than nine times the existing two-storey height limit.

Gold Coast Combined Chamber of Commerce president Martin Brady welcomed the development and said the city was following in Disney’s footprints.

“The integration of the resort into the area would be complimentary to the (Metricon) stadium nearby and help boost our emerging sports tourism marketing,” he said.

The ski-slope would cover around 5200sq m and be a park centrepiece, along with a recreation of Uluru.

There would be performance venues and attractions telling the history and cultural stories of China and Australia including the 1850s gold rush.

The developers say they should be allowed to exceed the two-storey height limit but stressed there would be no “bulky … wall of development”.

Imagery provided by the company suggests the riverfront homes would be similar to the opulent mansions of Paradise Waters.

The theme park and development would stretch from the Nerang Railway Station through to Lakeview Drive.

Queensland Master Builders Association regional manager John Duncalfe said the project would have major job creation benefits for the construction industry but would require significant work to ensure the Nerang River floodplain could be built upon.

Songcheng bought the site for $55 million last year from developer Wanda. The company, an experienced theme park developer, operates attractions across China.