FIGHT FOR MAIN BEACH
Residents who fear luxury suburb will turn into Surfers 2.0 plan a war chest to fight high-rises as council gives ok for three new mega towers
ANGRY Main Beach residents are building a war chest to stop the luxury suburb being turned into another Surfers Paradise after council ticked off on three mega developments. The approval of Monaco, the Masthead and another super tower in Main Beach Parade has sparked a buy-up of potential development sites, residents and developers say.
A resident said: “The town planning expectation is Main Beach will become the next Surfers Paradise. People are losing huge amounts of value on their properties.”
ANGRY Main Beach residents are building a war chest to stop their luxury beachfront suburb becoming another Surfers Paradise after council ticked off on three mega developments.
The approval of Monaco, the Masthead and another super tower in Main Beach Parade has sparked a buy-up of potential development sites, according to residents and developers.
A resident told the Bulletin: “The town planning expectation is Main Beach will become the next Surfers Paradise. People (living next to these new mega developments) are losing huge amounts of value on their properties. Their value has dropped by 15 per cent because no-one wants to buy units.”
More than 50 residents attended the Main Beach Association (MBA) annual general meeting to discuss the issue. It has responded by deciding to employ a top planning lawyer.
MBA leader Sue Donovan said donations were needed to fund a “multi-pronged approach” to stop overdevelopment of the suburb renowned for apartment towers with large landscaped surroundings.
“Since council’s approval of Monaco and Masthead, two highly controversial developments at the northern end of Main Beach, a development feeding frenzy has begun,” Ms Donovan said.
Residents at the meeting backed several motions including:
● Obtaining legal opinion as to whether councillors and officers are correct that they have no option but to approve noncompliant, code assessable development applications.
● Preparing an overlay map for councillors of all potential development sites in Main Beach, showing what would happen if only compliant projects were approved and compare that to one with large non-compliant towers that could destroy the suburb’s amenity.
● Supporting the Community Alliance in seeking changes from the state government which ensure non-compliant, code assessable development applications trigger impact assessment, enabling residents to be notified and appeal in the Planning Court.
● Writing to Mayor Tom Tate, council CEO Dale Dickson and planning chair Cameron Caldwell urging them to “strongly enforce the performance outcomes of the City Plan”.
“The aim of the motions moved from the floor was to give the committee a charter to fund campaigns and to send a message to council, state government and the development industry that the MBA is in this for the long haul,” Ms Donovan said.
Ms Donovan said the MBA had started identifying every potential development site in Main Beach and would create a graphic representation of what the suburb could become in five to 10 years, should council continue to approve bulky buildings on very small sites.