Mermaid locals fume as another tower rises
RESIDENTS of the Gold Coast’s most exclusive coastal strip say the Gold Coast City Council is “ruining” Mermaid Beach after it approved a 25-storey tower that will overlook Hedges Ave.
The high-end beachside strip has become a development hotspot and currently has four major projects on the agenda.
The latest is a 25-storey apartment tower planned by Pindan, a Western Australian-based developer that is making its first investment on the Gold Coast.
The tower, to be named Mahala, will have 94 units and is to be built on the northern side of Peerless Ave, the most southern frontier of the unlimited height restrictions zone.
Long-time Hedges Ave resident Terry Jackman is furious with the decision and said city leaders had “no care” for residents’ lifestyles.
“The problem with Peerless Ave is that on one side it is zoned as Broadbeach and the other side of the street is Mermaid Beach,” Mr Jackman said.
“(The council) is going to ruin the place. They keep approving anything that comes up and they seem to have no care for people’s lifestyles.
“We have had people buy into the southern side of Peerless Ave thinking they were going to be living in an area with a three-storey limit but they are seeing towers being whacked up.”
Early works have already begun on the site, just two weeks after the council approved the development under special delegation, meaning it did not go before the planning committee.
Projects which meet all conditions under the City Plan are not impact assessable and can be approved in consultation with the area councillor and planning committee chairman.
The tower will overlook Hedges Ave and sit just south of Sunland’s $200m, 45-storey tower which is currently on the market.
The Mahala tower will have a rooftop solar farm system which the developer says will allow residents to benefit from cheaper energy costs and lower strata fees.
Area councillor Paul Taylor admitted some nearby residents were concerned about the project.
“Peerless Ave is at the end of the unlimited height restrictions area and they have the right to do it,” he said.
“It is good to see them continue on and it ticks all the boxes.
“Everyone wants to live here (in Mermaid Beach).”