Five-point plan aims to ignite Southport

AN inability to attract more residents in new highrise towers in the Southport CBD is putting development pressure on Broadwater suburbs such as Labrador and Biggera Waters, a council candidate says.

Division 6 hopeful Brooke Patterson believes the Southport Priority Development Area introduced in 2013 has been a failure and blames the banks for not backing developers.

Under City Plan changes, by 2041 Labrador will increase by 10,500 residents, Biggera Waters by 1400 and Southport West by 9000, which has sparked a backlash from residents.

“If the PDA had succeeded, our population targets would be largely met and the City Plan would not need to be revisited to the extent it is now,” Ms Patterson said.

Council had been “lazy” in its planning by pushing highrise out into the suburbs to meet housing demands rather than build up density along the light rail in the CBD.

“It is all well and good for local and state governments to declare areas a priority, such as Southport CBD, but if the banks don’t come to the party lending finance it accounts for nought,” Ms Patterson said.

“Had the banks not blacklisted large-scale residential developments in 4215 and 4217, the PDA would be fulfilled and population targets would be met. Instead we see properties and sites suited for development, many owned by foreign interests, being held over in order to secure bigger sales.”

When the PDA was launched, council received 29 development applications, worth at least $1.96 billion, but much of it was for commercial space.

The PDA covers 195.7 hectares in Southport. The area was divided into four precincts – the central business district, the PDA Residential Neighbourhood in the north, the PDA Garden Residential Neighbourhood by the Nerang River and the PDA Open Space.

In its latest report on land supply in the region, Urbis concluded “we have plenty of capacity for apartments and town houses but we’re not building them quickly enough and we aren’t building enough town houses and walk-ups as part of the overall mix”.

Ms Patterson, who wants to replace retiring councillor Dawn Crichlow at the March poll, said she had a five-point program to help reset the PDA and reignite Southport. It started with engaging with the banks’ lending decisionmakers.

“The program includes reducing the area outlined in the priority development plan, currently covering 195 hectares, to make it more workable and effective, and moving government departments to Southport, including a Supreme Court and permanent family law court,” she said.

Ms Patterson believes allowing public servants who currently commute along the M1 to hot desk in some of the CBD’s new shared office facilities a few days a week would make a difference to congestion on the M1.

Mayor Tom Tate has championed a legal fraternity precinct.

Ms Patterson, a financial adviser, also believes the Southport Central Committee should be given extra powers.