Exclusive: Big Projects plot Mermaid Beach apartment development, Glenelg Residences
Vertically integrated Gold Coast developer, Big Projects, is set to take on its biggest apartment project to date.
As completion approaches on the likes of Yves by Hirsch & Faigen LAANI by Dankav, both in Mermaid Beach, Big Projects' Glenelg Residences will bring the next wave of new apartments to the sought-after suburb.
Big Projects, led by Matthew and John Barrettt, has filed for an 11-level building on a large 2,056 sqm site at 2462-2472 Gold Coast Highway, on the corner of Glenelg Avenue and opposite the Glenelg Public House.
The building will have 96 apartments, a mix of two and three-bedroom units, rooftop amenity in the form of an infinity pool, hot and cold plunge spas, day beds and a barbecue and alfresco space.
The apartments will sit above a significantly activated ground plane that will home eight retail spaces at street level and a bar in the basement.
Big Projects had BDA design the tower which sits just 270 metres away from the future Mermaid Beach Light Rail Station. BDA said in the documents that the project offers the opportunity to design an innovative architectural building and provide a higher residential density development along the Gold Coast Highway.
"This project offers the opportunity to generate appropriate higher-intensity development within the future Light Rail corridor of Mermaid Beach," BDA's submission to the Gold Coast City Council read.
"It will contribute to the diverse mix of residential and retail uses envisaged for the area. As designed, the project will provide a memorable sculptural mid-rise mixed-use building."
They said the architecture of the proposed development is minimal and hard-lined, with cantilevered concrete frames and a textured and timeless material palette of brick, textured concrete, and cascading plants, creating a rich and layered urban coastal effect.
"Inspired by nature, the project looks to provide lush cascading landscaping to soften the urban context of the site, and provide a harmonious place for residents and visitors to reside."
The subject site is included within the Urban Footprint subject to ShapingSEQ 2023 (‘The Regional Plan’) which sets a benchmark of 161,700 new dwellings to be provided within the City of Gold Coast local government area by the year 2046.
The SEQRP benchmarks that 62 per cent (100,254 dwellings) be provided in a high-rise attached format (e.g. high-rise apartments/units, active ground level – street-facing and/or mixed-use) by the year 2046, the Town Planning Report by ZONE Planning noted.
"This requires the City of Gold Coast Council to provide on average, 4,010 High-Rise attached dwellings on a per annum basis until the year 2046, or the equivalent of 48 x 25-storey apartment towers with 84 units each per year."
Big Projects is no stranger to the area. They have approval for Cleo, a boutique six-level apartment block at 2265 Gold Coast Highway. They've previously developed Zinc at Kirra Beach, 73 apartments completed in 2019.
