Palmy yes, Bundall no

GOLD Coast City Council is to approve a nine-level tower at Palm Beach but reject larger towers in the Bundall commercial precinct as confusion continues about height limits across the city.

A majority of councillors at a planning committee meeting yesterday backed a recommendation by officers to approve a 90-bedroom unit block on The Esplanade almost three times the density at Palm Beach under the City Plan.

But at the same meeting councillors rejected an application to vary the City Plan which would have allowed the 17-storey limit at Bundall in a commercial precinct increased to 30 storeys.

All councillors will vote on the developments at next Tuesday’s full council meeting which could spark another protest from southern Coast residents.

The new Palm Beach tower is on a 1229sq m block in a medium-density zone surrounded by houses and some older buildings up to eight storeys.

Resident and businesswoman Domenica De Pasquale, who has been involved in smaller-scale residential developments, left the council chamber stunned by the decision.

“I’m overwhelmed that the City Plan is not being adhered to. The fact that they can develop 60 per cent of the site when the coverage is meant to be 50 per cent,” she said.

Councillors later rejected an application which would have created a Corporate Centre Development Code around the prominent office tower west of the Chevron Island bridge.

Committee chair Cameron Caldwell said: “We couldn’t see at the moment why we would give preliminary approval that would override the City Plan.”