Tower tweak angers Biggera Waters residents
BIGGERA Waters residents say they are “very disappointed” a controversial waterfront high-rise has been given the green light less than a year after Gold Coast City Council rejected it.
The $130m luxury Belvue Broadwater tower will now go ahead after Monaco Property Group negotiated a compromise with council, which will see its height dropped from 34 to 31 levels and its position moved further from the water.
It is the latest in a series of controversial high-rise projects which have been approved in recent months despite the council previously objecting to them.
Monaco director Jonathan Grasso said construction would begin later this year open the Bayview St project.
“It’s an exciting start to 2023 gaining development approval, meaning we are on track to appoint a builder, and plans for construction to commence in the second to third quarter of this year,” he said.
“We are pleased to have worked collaboratively with Gold Coast City Council through the planning and application process, which has led to improvements to the overall project and to the two ultra-luxury resort style recreation areas.
“We have integrated new ocean facing cabanas, a larger Broadwater infinity pool, and gymnasium into the design, all for the exclusive use of Belvue residents.”
It will be the first residential complex to be built since the first crop of highrises, such as the Broadwater and Bayview towers, went up in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
It will have 31 units spread across 31 levels.
But the shock decision was a “gut punch” for Runaway Bay Action Group, chairman Kevan Wolfe who had fought against building the tower on a 120m site he described as “no wider than a cricket pitch”.
“We are very disappointed that it as got to this, in council and in the whole way this has been handled,” he said.
“We couldn't believe it when we heard it and the impact on traffic and the day-to-day living of people in the nearby complexes will be disastrous.”
Council rejected the project last year, citing concerns from resident who feared the tower was too large and “shoe-horned” into a toosmall site.
Monaco appealed the decision, leading to the negotiated outcome.
But council planning boss and area councillor Cameron Caldwell said the amended plans would retain the area’s amenity for nearby residents.
“Council’s initial refusal was based on a number of planning considerations which were ultimately the subject of court proceedings,” he said.
“The final design provides a more modest building location to protect view corridors, amenities and overshadowing.”