More than 300 objections are lodged against project

MORE than 300 objections have been lodged against the controversial plan to build a theme park at Carrara.

Public comment on the Songcheng development closes today and residents of the land surrounding the project have mounted a campaign aimed at convincing city leaders to reject it.

But several prominent business leaders have also had their say, talking up the economic benefits of the project including more than $800 million in direct and indirect expenditure over a two-year period.

Concerns include the impact of the park on the residential amenity, increased density from high-rises and an expected increase in traffic.

Carrara Floodplain Neighbourhood Association president Neil Bartels said he was heartened that the council so far had received 376 submissions, most of which backed the group’s campaign.

“A week ago we had almost 200 submissions lodged and now it has nearly doubled,” he said.

“There is definitely a strong sense of community feeling against this development.”

Submissions in favour of the development have been lodged by Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan, Gold Coast North Chamber of Commerce president Gary Mays and Vicky Cao, director of developer Garuda GC, which owns the Southport Star of the Sea site and plans multi-tower project.

More than 300 people attended a community meeting on the Songcheng project last month and a 15-strong group of locals rallied against it earlier this month.

The council will vote on the project later this year. its own