PAVILION PIVOTAL IN BATTLE FOR BURLEIGH
BURLEIGH Heads is taking a good, hard look at itself in the mirror – and the reflection that appears, depending on your perspective, is either a tourism jewel or a vomitsoaked Surfers Paradise footpath at night.
For many older residents, the Burleigh Pavilion’s planning application before the council to get its licence upgraded from a restaurant to a hotel is the ultimate fight to stop the Glitter Strip from extending south.
They want the sound of lorikeets chattering at dusk in the Norfolk pines, not the noise of drunks spilling out on to footpaths.
The application has attracted a wave of opposition.
“Having visited Burleigh Heads every year for over 40 years since childhood, I was disgusted and shocked at the change of usage for the Burleigh Pavilion,” a Sydney family wrote.
“On our last holiday in
THE PROPOSED HOTEL WILL BE A DISASTER FOR THE COMMUNITY AND TOURISM
January we were disgusted at the type of crowd now frequenting the Pavilion late at night – a far cry from the family-friendly atmosphere which was promised.
“My kids were scared of the bouncers and did not want to go near the place where they would usually look at shells.
“The proposed hotel will be a disaster for the community and tourism. It will inevitably lead to more public drinking, brawls and to put it bluntly, vomit, used condoms and broken glass on and near the beach.”
Residents at the nearby Hillhaven Apartments in Goodwin Tce are furious about major events held in the parkland, and their body corporate, in its submission to council planners, strongly opposes a hotel.
“Over the recent Christmas-New Year period we had a number of people using our building as a toilet,” the body corporate manager said.
“We also experienced numerous incidents of theft and damage. A commercial hotel at the Burleigh Beach Pavilion is highly likely to increase the prevalence of anti-social behaviour around Hillhaven as well as potentially threatening the safety of the building’s residents.”
But another Goodwin Tce resident, who has visited the Pavilion several times, called the restaurant “amazing”, saying it catered for every age group and offered sensational views and service.
“It has a very positive impact for local tourism,” the resident wrote.
Leading Sydney hotelier Ben May, who has many southern-based supporters writing to the council, invested $25 million in the development on arguably the Coast’s best beachside site leased from the State Government.
His backers point to gorgeous sunset photographs posted on Instagram shared by Destination Gold Coast, which have attracted almost 60,000 “likes”.
Yet many residents argue about the bigger picture and their plea to council planners focuses on a potential change of “culture” for Burleigh.
“Putting a hotel on the beach of Burleigh completely contradicts the safe family atmosphere,” a Hill Ave resident wrote. “I don’t believe the majority of residents wish to see Burleigh go the way of Surfers Paradise or Broadbeach.”
Burleigh MP Michael Hart is an objector, aware up to six body corporates are opposed.
The Burleigh Heads Hotel, in its objection, says there is no economic need for another hotel.
In its application, the May Group says there will be no structural changes, hours of operation will remain 6am to 12am Monday to Sunday, and no gaming or short-term accommodation will be included.
Light rail will soon arrive on Burleigh’s doorstep. Retailers fear the village atmosphere around the James St precinct could be lost to high rises. The much-loved Old Burleigh Arcade is up for sale.
Area councillor Pauline Young is acutely aware that 40 per cent of Burleigh residents are retirees.
“The most important thing for me as the local councillor is to ensure that we maintain the amenity and the natural offerings with our headland and ocean,” Cr Young said.
“We need to listen to what our residents want to say but we have to respect that we’re a tourism city ... we have to find our balance.”