Sherpa, Marquee Plans Top Up Palm Beach Pipeline

Plans for three midrise towers have been filed, adding 247 apartments to the pipeline of proposals for Gold Coast development hotspot Palm Beach.

Developer Christie Leet’s Sherpa Property Group has lodged plans for two of the towers, both rising 12 storeys, on an expanded site at 1150-1164 Gold Coast Highway and 3 Sixth Avenue.

The proposal is to be delivered in two stages with a total of 216 apartments sitting atop ground floor retail space and four basement carparking levels.

The prolific developer has previously filed plans for four lots spanning 1806sq m at 1150-1154 Gold Coast Highway and 3 Sixth Avenue. The new dual tower proposal follows its acquisition of an additional five lots spanning 2051sqm at 1156-1164 Gold Coast Highway.

“Combining the development sites into one large site/development results in more efficient use of the land and creates improved urban design outcomes,” the application said.

Under the latest scheme designed by Hayes Anderson Lynch Architects, the northern tower would comprise 113 one, two and three-bedroom units and the southern tower would house a  mix of 103 one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments.

Rooftop communal areas with a combined area of more than 1700sq m—including pools and spas, hot/cold plunge pools, yoga lawn, breakout spaces, dining areas and landscaping—would crown both towers.

On the ground floor, 1363sqm of retail/commercial space is planned, below which a four-level basement would provide parking space for 470 cars.

“The current state of the property market and pressure to deliver more housing within the city’s coastal suburbs, culminates in the need for the redevelopment of the site as proposed,” the documents said.

▲ Rendering of Sherpa’s mixed-use dual tower proposal for its expanded Palm Beach site.

“The development will contribute to rejuvenating the Palm Beach district centre which hosts a number of large, underdeveloped sites.

“The injection of permanent residential population into the centre will assist to restore Palm Beach to one of the city’s greatest retail, entertainment and dining districts.”

Sherpa’s Christie Leet said the two towers would be developed under the company’s Flourish brand, which is focused on creating multigenerational communities in lifestyle-rich locations.

“Palm Beach is becoming increasingly expensive, with both locals and first-home buyers simply being priced out … which is why we are solely reserving all one and two-bedroom units with one bathroom for first-home buyers, ensuring they have a real opportunity to secure a home in this amazing suburb.”

Meanwhile, Brisbane-based Marquee Development Partners has put forward plans for a nine-storey project nearby at 444-448 The Esplanade, an amalgamated site spanning three lots.

The scheme designed by Ellivo Architects comprises 31 units in a mix of two, three and four-bedroom apartments.

▲ Renderings of the midrise proposal filed by Marquee Development Partners for 444-448 The Esplanade, Palm Beach.

Communal recreation space on level two would feature a swimming pool and deck, spa, sauna, ice bath, barbecue and dining area, gym, pool room, bar and lounge as well as work-from-home pods.

Carparking including 91 resident spaces and six visitor spaces would be provided across three basement levels and the ground floor.

“The proposed development delivers positive outcomes in response to the aims of the South East Queensland Regional Plan … which seeks to deliver new housing within the city primarily through consolidation within the well-serviced urban neighbourhoods,” the documents said.

“Overall, the proposed development presents a unique and innovative urban rejuvenation of the subject site.”

Led by Jacques Winterburn, Marquee Development Partners’ 14-level La Belle development with 75 apartments is well advanced at 332 The Esplanade, Palm Beach.

The latest research from Urbis indicated that although the Palm Beach catchment required 382 new homes a year to cater for population growth, it was estimated only 119 new apartments were available across the southern coastal area.