Carparks to be sold

TWO ratepayer-owned assets providing carparking in Surfers Paradise will be sold.

But the decision has divided councillors.

Most of the debate about the sales of Bruce Bishop car park and Surfers Plaza Resort unit-owner spaces across the road were in closed session.

Councillors were unanimous in their decision on Tuesday to sell the city’s parcel of land on the old Surfers Paradise bowls site, despite a plea from petitioning unit owners.

Mayor Tom Tate, part of a consortium that owns land next to council’s, left the chamber and area councillor Darren Taylor did not vote also for conflict reasons.

Cr Taylor said it was unfortunate 145 people would be denied carparking due to decisions “made some time ago” by council on the leasing conditions.

The city’s parcel covers 1833sq m, with frontage to Remembrance and Peninsular drives, and includes a two-level reinforced concrete structure that previously served as lawn bowling greens on the podium level and carparking of 49 bays.

Three adjoining lots provide for 237 carparking bays, which are utilised by plaza residents. Officers said the council decided the land was surplus to needs. It is likely to become a twin tower development.

A contract of sale lapsed largely due to “an obligation to construct 150 carparking bays and to provide those bays to the resort on unfavourable commercial terms”.

Mayor Tate remained out of the chamber as councillors discussed the tender process for the sale of the Surfers Paradise Transit Centre and Bruce Bishop car park. The vote was split 8-6 to sell. The recommendation was to have the CEO delegate to the chief investment officer to execute a sale contract with a tenderer on agreed terms.

Crs Taylor, Peter Young, Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden, Hermann Vorster, Daphne McDonald and Cameron Caldwell voted against the sale.