The Gold Coast light rail project—considered by some as the city’s “Trojan horse for development”—has been pulled up well short of its final run to the Queensland-New South Wales border.

Citing a cost blow-out to “just shy of $10 billion” and “overwhelming” community opposition, it has been stopped in its tracks by the Queensland Government.

But the decision to axe the 13km fourth stage, from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta, is unlikely to significantly impact property development along the coastal strip’s southern corridor, a planning expert has told The Urban Developer.