Queensland court overturns permit for 14-storey tower in Kirra — ABC News Australia

Queensland’s Planning and Environment Court in Australia has overturned the Gold Coast City Council’s approval for the construction of a 14-storey residential tower in the suburb of Kirra. Judge Nicole Kefford ruled that the $130 million project did not justify exceeding the local height limit by 50%.

As ABC News Australia reports, residents challenged the permit granted by the city council in October 2025. The planned tower on Haig Street was to be 43.5 metres high and, according to the court’s finding, would have visually dominated the area, creating an urban canyon effect for residents.

Exceeding restrictions

Developer Immerse Projects received approval for a building with 317 bedrooms. This was almost eight times the standard development density set by Gold Coast planning rules. The city’s planning scheme allows density and height limits to be exceeded if a number of criteria are met, including those concerning the building’s appearance and its impact on the comfort of local residents.

The Gold Coast council and the developer acknowledged that the project did not comply with height and density standards. At the same time, they argued that the architectural solutions would reduce the building’s visual impact.

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Design assessment

Judge Kefford noted that a previously approved nine-storey building had a design almost identical to that of the proposed 14-storey tower. In her view, the numerous angular and curved projections and recesses did not create a coherent and harmonious appearance for the structure.

In its written decision, the court did not determine whether the planned development density was permissible. However, the judge stated that the extent of non-compliance with the height limit was grounds for refusal. She also stressed that even an assumption that the density was acceptable would not have been sufficient to approve the project.

The decision was made amid a separate dispute over another high-rise development on the Gold Coast: the city council applied to the High Court of Australia for leave to appeal a ruling by the Queensland Court of Appeal.