Vocal public resentment to poor forward urban planning

AS a person who grew up in the ’50s on the Gold Coast I found the letter to the editor by Bob Janssen (‘Unpopular it may be’, GCB ,

20/7/18) fascinating but a little misconstrued.

The original South Coast that became the Gold Coast was promoted by amazing entrepreneurs that include Alex Griffiths, Keith Williams, Bernie Elsie, Bruce Small, David Fleay, Laurie Wall, Jack Evans and others. However, they all respected one very important urban condition – our natural environment. Our sun, surf, sand and uncluttered environs made the Gold Coast what it is today.

Mr Janssen mentions the best laid plans have left our city planners in a constant catch-up which is disputable. If city hall has been devoid of one attribute it is the disgraceful lack of forward urban planning. And that same regime continues today.

It is considered too late for change as council has permitted hemmed-in overdevelopment without planning for strategic future infrastructure needs. To propose these needs are only restricted by our imagination and prudence is simply fanciful.

The city has inadequate infrastructure strategies for a population of one million people – as will occur at some time – let alone half a million.

But densification and overdevelopment continues unabated.

Mr Janssen rightly has regard for urban sprawl, seeking to protect the natural beauty of the Hinterland and to some lesser extent the western suburbs.

He says the solution is for “effective use of space” which means continue uncontrolled and unsustainable development along the environmentally significant coastal plain.

The suggestion that increased density will provide economy of scale with utilities and public transport does not stack up.

There are inadequate arterial roads commensurate with the population and that cannot change. The fractured nature of the city by way of canals and obstructions limit public transport networks meaning a majority of citizens will continue to use motor vehicles in this city as coincidentally occurs in all cities.

There remain suburbs that retain a village atmosphere and the locals want to keep it that way.

City hall has shown no regard for these preferences such as at Chevron Island. But worse is to come. Palm Beach is a longstanding residential home-ownership community that in its own way sees the shopping area around 5th Ave as its village.

These usually placid residents are up in arms over the pending LRT. The LRT will remove kerbside parking where there is no provision for offset car parking.

What Mr Janssen misconstrues, in his usual defence of unsustainable and unrestricted development, are the decisions being taken by city hall that approve highrise development well beyond the prevailing Town Plan height levels. Such an example is Komune in Coolangatta (27 storeys in a 10-storey zone) and numerous others. The public resentment is loudly unfolding.

DON MAGIN, CHEVRON ISLAND