Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk talking about the ASF casino development on the Gold Coast Spit

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on 9 News talking about planning and development on the Gold Coast Spit

The Palaszczuk Government has terminated the proposed ASF development on the Gold Coast Spit and will move forward with a community-led master plan.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the decision was based on ensuring the best long term solution for the Gold Coast.

“Like many Queenslanders, I have enjoyed visiting the Spit for decades,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We need to ensure that character is preserved for future generations.

“The Spit offers great opportunities for job creation through tourism, entertainment and recreation.

The Spit is finally recognised as a community asset!

“What the Spit really needs now is a master plan to revitalise it and increase its benefit to the Gold Coast as a community asset.”

“To be clear, this is not a decision that rules out a future Integrated Resort Development on the Gold Coast.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Jackie Trad said the master plan process would ensure the best outcomes for the community.

“The masterplan that we’re committing to deliver today ensures a future for the Spit which is in accordance with Gold Coast Council’s planning scheme, including the three-storey height limit,” Ms Trad said.

“It helps get the balance right between protecting environmental and community values and allowing appropriate commercial development.”

It is expected the master plan will take 18 months to complete. It will be undertaken in collaboration with Gold Coast City Council and the Gold Coast Waterways Authority.

Jackie Trad commits to community led planning – at the Gold Coast

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Jackie Trad said the master plan process would ensure the best outcomes for the community.

And the masterplan that we’re committing to deliver today ensures a future for The Spit which is in accordance with Gold Coast Council’s planning scheme.

The government also committed to a community led masterplan to be developed over the next 18 months.

And then added that “This locks in low-density, three-storey development for our future generations.

“It also helps get the balance right between protecting environmental and community values and allowing appropriate commercial development.”

Applying the same thinking applied to Toondah

Redlands2030 President, Steve MacDonald, welcomed the Governments decision to stop the massive highrise development of The Spit but asked “Why aren’t the same planning principles being applied to the Toondah PDA?”

Mr MacDonald said that revised planning for the Toondah PDA should include:

  • Community led planning (not the developers wishful thinking)
  • Sufficient time for community input (the commitment for preparing the Gold Coast spit Master Plan is 18 months) not one month as was allowed for at Toondah
  • Better alignment with the Redlands Planning Scheme
  • Protecting environmental and community values and allowing appropriate commercial development
  • Recognition of existing constraints including the Marine Park, the Ramsar designation of wetlands, the urban footprint limits of the SEQ Regional Plan and international migratory bird treaties
  • Full recognition of community values (as set out in the Redlands Community Plan)
  • Koala protection
  • Business case and benefit cost analysis made public before any public assets are committed to the hands of developers

Redlands2030 – 1 August 2017

7 Comments

Erica Siegel, Aug 06, 2017

I very much agree with Steve MacDonald and have written to the Premier thanking her for her decision on The Spit development at the Gold Coast and asking to make a like decision on the Toondah Habour project limiting the development to on land construction and redevelopment of harbour

Baz, Aug 02, 2017

Sadly as the Toondah debacle unfolds Redland’s elected Councillors have become mute. The moral authority for the PDA came from the former Council (i.e. the mob supporting Williams in 2012). Growing community dismay over the massive changes since then (especially the increase from 800 to 3600 units) have not stirred the Councillors to action. No Council submission submission on two EPBC referals. How the Council had no comment….not one… is beyond logic. It has to have been contrived!

But now the Premier has spoken for the Spit, our Councillors should demand equal treatment, a community driven master plan and all the other undertakings given to the Gold Coast community. Protecting community values has never been so much in the public mind as now and the community values its open space at Toondah Harbour!

Dennis Tafe, Aug 02, 2017

Letter just sent to Qld Premier. The rights of the Traditional Owners in Moreton Bay on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) are being ignored by both the Mayor of Redland City Council and local government. It is possible this will go to TV and if it does Labor needs to show that it is not following the lead of the LNP. The Proposal put forward by the Walker Corporation is flawed and it not only ignores the concerns of the Traditional Owners but also the environmental concerns. It is proposed that the shorebird feeding habitat of the Ramsar Protection area be wiped out and replaced with up to 10 storeys, comprising 3,600 home units. Labor needs to show that this will not happen on its watch.

Gwenda Casey, Aug 02, 2017

The Premier has listened to the community’s ongoing concerns re overdevelopment of The Spit, and I am blown away by her reasoned good sense.
The Redlands community has been handed a timely opportunity to address with the Premier herself its objections and recommendations to the proposed Toondah Harbour overdevelopment.
Thank you Mr MacDonald for reminding us, the people of the Redlands, what will be forever destroyed if the current development is approved.

Amy Glade, Aug 02, 2017

Re: Toondah Harbour, Cleveland …. Premier needs to repeat the same words as she has for the Spit on Gold Coast that people have for years fought to save from yet more high-rise development, which are in part: “We need to ensure that character is preserved for future generations. The Spit offers great opportunities for job creation through tourism, entertainment and recreation”.
People of Redlands are also asking for retaining the character and preservation of the harbour marine environment.
Premier has the power she needs to exercise to scrap the Walker Corp destructive plan and see it modified to where it is palatable to the Redlands community who have made it clear to State & local government operatives… where deals were done behind closed doors with Walker Corp excluding the Redlands community…they do not want high-rise apartment buildings destroying the marine environment as well as adding…big time…to our already congested suburban roadways. Repeated over and over again by weary Redlanders, are the words, repeated again, are: Fix the port, stop the rort.

pedro plunkett, Aug 02, 2017

The comments that Toondah Harbour is in the wrong place by a Redland City Councillor on saturday is a step in the right direction. Advice on a recision motion depends on legal terms of reference and independent legal advice not necessarily framed by Council Officers as seen in the past. The advice on Sacred Sites on land and below the High Water Mark is needed to make further representations to Governments.

Big Boy, Aug 01, 2017

Thank you, Mr MacDonald.
I’m sure the Deputy Premier would see revised planning for Toondah as another example of this new emphasis on community led planning. Bravo!
Let’s all put those points to the Minister!
Councillors take note.

Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net

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