Waterfront 1980s Resort to Make Way for Gold Coast Tower

Plans have been filed for a 25-storey apartment tower to replace a low-rise 1980s-era holiday resort at the northern end of the Gold Coast.

The proposal would comprise 85 mostly two and three-bedroom apartments crowned by a whole-floor, five-bedroom penthouse plus a communal recreation rooftop terrace.

It is earmarked for a 1546sq m site at 210 Marine Parade, Labrador, currently occupied by the three-storey Golden Shores Holiday Club Resort, which would be demolished.

The development application has been lodged with the Gold Coast City Council by Golden Shores Holiday Club Limited, the ownership entity of the holding fronting the Southport Broadwater.

Under the plans, levels 2 to 22 would provide five units per floor on the lower levels, four units per floor on the mid levels and three units per floor on the upper levels.

“The tower’s form when viewed from Marine Parade is slender, with a series of horizontal and vertical elements,” the planning documents said. “This enables the building to fan out towards the rear, to allow all units to view glimpses towards the Broadwater.” 

Communal recreation facilities on the 597sq m rooftop terrace would include outdoor barbecue and dining areas, residents’ lounge, pool and elevated deck, gym, sauna and an “intimate areas for lounging”.

Parking for 136 cars would be provided across two levels of basement, at ground level and the first level of the podium.

Overall, the proposed development would reach a height of 79.5m, exceeding the site’s designated 53m building height, but a 50 per cent uplift would be sought under the city’s strategic framework.

Although a short-term accommodation component is included as part of the DA, it noted the proposed development would operate as a traditional apartment building not a hotel or tourist accommodation.

“The short-term accommodation component has been included in the application to provide future unit owners with the flexibility to rent their respective apartments out for shorter periods—up to three months,” it said.

The tower scheme has been designed by BDA Architecture to provide “an iconic architectural building” as well as contribute to the residential supply within the future growth corridor and “enhance the emerging Broadwater precinct”.

“The overall tower form is cohesive and an elegant addition to the Labrador skyline … [and] a positive outcome to the Labrador foreshore precinct,” a design statement said.

While not capturing the limelight to the same degree as the southern Gold Coast, developer interest in the northern end of the city remains solid.

Earlier this month, plans were filed for a 2-to-3-storey residential development for 79-81 Musgrave Avenue by a Loganholme-based entity linked to Peter Smith. It would comprise 11 three-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments.