HARRY AIMS HIGH

A GOLD Coast MP is demanding the State Government review approval of a new Burleigh development, and also raised concern about Palm Beach projects.

The Member for Burleigh, Michael Hart, has called on the State Planning Minister to look into the city council’s approval of the 18-level Natura Tower on The Esplanade at Burleigh, but councillors say they were hamstrung by the state law.

Mr Hart said he believed the council was being pressured to approve outside of city plan guidelines so it met state performance outcomes, which specify where local government needs to prepare for population growth.

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Hart said the Burleigh development would exceed every acceptable outcome the council had put forward.

“But it apparently meets something called a performance outcome,” Mr Hart said.

“Instead of densities being 33sq m per unit, the council have approved 10sq m per unit. Instead of having the appropriate setbacks from the edge of the property, the council have approved those buildings to have setbacks from the building next door, and the site cover is completely over what would be an acceptable outcome but it again meets this so-called performance outcome.”

He said the building would also add to traffic on The Esplanade.

Turning to Palm Beach developments, Mr Hart said “feedback from a whole lot of locals’’ was that recent projects were “completely inappropriate for our area”.

“I would support a rethink on population growth targets,” he said.

City planning committee chairman Cameron Caldwell said the “performance-based planning’’ was a requirement of the State Planning Act, which was legislation that had bipartisan support when introduced to Parliament.

“Our City Plan must comply with that state legislation which is why it incorporates both acceptable and performance outcomes,” he said.

“I introduced changes to City Plan on 13 December to reduce height and density around Jefferson Lane in response to community feedback from Palm Beach locals. Those changes have earned significant support and we hope will earn the approval of the Planning Minister when City Plan amendments are formally submitted for state interest check.”

Planning Minister Cameron Dick did not respond for comment.