David Devine's 19 storey Alba, Gold Coast beachfront apartment block approved

All councillors at the council meeting voted to accept the recommendation for approval by officers
David Devine's 19 storey Alba, Gold Coast beachfront apartment block approved
Alba's balcony overlooking the ocean. Image supplied
Jonathan ChancellorJanuary 31, 2022

The 19-storey Miami beachfront tower sought by DD Living has been approved by Gold Coast council.

The $105-million beachfront apartment tower has been recently marketed as the Alba North Burleigh at the 264 The Esplanade site in anticipation of the approval.

The Bureau Proberts-designed project has apartments priced from $2.25 million through David Devine's DD Living.

The 30-unit apartment tower on The Esplanade had been scaled down from 22 storeys since its initial application in 2019. 

The building height still sits above the suburb’s level under the City Plan with its 17th storey aligning with the 53 metre code assessable building height. 

There were 255 objections from owners in the nearby Mariner Shores apartment complex, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin.

The slender tower with a typical 505sqm floor plan will ­replace the 1960s three-storey walk-up on the 1012sqm holding.

The council report said the proposal was 59.6m in height. 

The development is located within the Urban neighbourhood which, under limited circumstances, allows for an increase in building height of up to 50 per cent (in this instance, 79.5m providing the relevant provisions are satisfied).

"The proposed development is a well-designed building that complements the existing and emerging character of the area. 

"The proposed built form of the development has been designed to achieve a well maintained interface to the adjacent properties.

"The building has been treated with high quality materials to enhance the visual appearance of the building, along with a varying colour pallet. 

"Planters are incorporated within the building articulation at all levels of the development to provide visual interest and to soften the built form. 

"After a detailed assessment, it has been determined the proposed development is able to satisfy the provisions warranting an increase in building height of 6.6m above the mapped building height of 53m. 

"The cumulative consideration of built form setbacks, site cover, landscaping elements and architectural design confirm the developments ability to satisfy the additional height considered within the 50 per cent uplift provisions of the Urban neighbourhoods element." the report from council advised.

The Melbourne developer Caydon Property Group plan to build a slender 18-storey apartment tower on an adjacent site

The apartment developer intends to have 51 apartments on its 1012sq m site at 266 The Esplanade at Miami, opposite North Burleigh Beach.

It is currently a 12-unit complex.

There are numerous mid-rise developments including Outrigger Resort in the precinct.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.

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