‘If we lose balance, then the city is lost’
A GOLD Coast councillor fears the city will be “lost” if suburbs continue to be forced into high-density living and children kicked “on to the streets to play”.
Palm Beach councillor Daphne McDonald said council’s new strategy to push the city’s booming population into southern suburbs would have a negative effect on her electorate.
“It’s ludicrous because you need to have a balance between development and community space and parklands,” she said.
“What we are already seeing with high-density development is that there is no open space and kids are forced to play in the streets.
“In my opinion if we lose this balance then the city is lost.”
Mayor Tom Tate on Wednesday revealed council was preparing to target Kirra, Coolangatta, Palm Beach and Bilinga for high-density development.
Council had previously targeted Biggera Waters, Southport West and Labrador as development hot spots but changed its mind after backlash from residents.
Councillor Tate said the southern Gold Coast was best positioned to cater for the population influx because it would surround infrastructure such as the light rail Stage 4 extension to the airport at Coolangatta.
The state government on Wednesday launched a taskforce to look at undeveloped land between the Sunshine Coast and Tweed Heads to help cater for the southeast’s bulging population.
It will be made up of staff from the Department of State Development and Planning and Economic Development Queensland and will “pursue new partnerships” between developers, local governments and utility providers to “support structure planning, infrastructure planning and infrastructure funding arrangements” for new growth areas.
The taskforce’s eventual findings are expected to take the pressure off already crowded suburbs by potentially opening up new areas for development. Its first report is due by March 31.
Community Alliance president John Hicks said any proposed changes in density needed to go through a rigorous public consultation process.
“Current amendments on targeted growth areas have gone through four rounds of consultation and while this process was not perfect, it was consultation on what this could look like,” he said.
“Captain’s calls are not consistent with this approach, so to see an announcement that target the southern Gold Coast was surprising and does not meet expectations.
“We are not opposed to growth, we are opposed to the poor management of that growth and it must be done in the best interest of the city.”