Seaworld Eye Ferris Wheel - Move it somewhere else please
Before they even built it, Sea World applied to make the structure PERMANENT.
What does this suggest about the strategy of a temporary application come permanent application- all while they are advertising it as "Limited Time Only".
Make up your mind Sea World.
Now whether or not you like ferris wheels... this wheel sets a very very bad and dangerous precedent for height levels on The Spit. It is too high, too dominating and in the WRONG PLACE. But needless to say, the developers will be cheering it on.
Put simply, it sets a terrible precedent - on what basis can anyone object to a structure of similar height within Sea World.. and by extension, north, east and south ... if the Planning & Environment Court allow Sea World's appeal to approve the Eye as a permanent structure on The Spit???
So what Can We Do?
Put in an objection- the period has closed (it seems to us it was all very quietly done) but a short letter or email to Ted Shepherd, Chair, GCCC Planning Committee might help. Try email.
eshepherd@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
All you have to say is something like...
"DO NOT ALLOW THIS FERRIS WHEEL TO REMAIN ON THE SPIT. IT IS TOO LARGE, DOMINANT AND INFRINGES THE LOCAL AREA PLAN. IT ALSO SETS AN UNACCEPTABLE HEIGHT PRECEDENT FOR THE REST OF OUR SPIT. SAVE OUR SPIT.
Local residents may not have the market clout of giant Village Roadshow, and many of us encourage their whale rescues etc. but the installation of the Sea World Eye ferris wheel is out of keeping with the area. It is so incongruous as almost to be a visual joke.
It is almost like a giant billboard amongst the trees from a distance - yes a giant billboard on the spit - just what we need and possibly what they intended from the beginning.
Objections
Grounds for Objection |
Nature of Objection |
General objections:
The Wheel is not complementary of or consistent with present uses of The Spit.
Grant of such an application would expose our community to the floodgates opening as to development height levels both within Sea World and beyond, on The Spit.
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The Wheel is also not consistent with surrounding recreational and commercial uses; nor does it enhance or add to the marine, passive recreational or hotel uses already on The Spit.
The community has made its views clear that Spit height levels should be limited to 3 storeys maximum; refer to Vision 2020 and recent petitions and public dissent over suggestions of higher levels of development.
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General Objections:
Degradation of quality and character of local surrounding areas.
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Contributes to the unfair public perception of the Gold Coast as a cheap, glitzy, fairground town, not a beautiful and natural place to live, visit and enjoy. |
General Objection:
Unacceptable effects upon surrounding residential areas and tourist impression.
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The majority of tourists entering the GC from the M1 enter via Southport, such that the first, dominant visual impression of both the GC and the Southport and Spit areas is a large, ugly manmade fair-ground structure.
This will have adverse tourist effects for the many people who come to the GC for the beach and Spit spaces, not built development.
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Related Social Amenity Considerations:
Unacceptable effects upon surrounding residential areas including degradation of visual amenity and local character for Southport and Main Beach residents, as well as tourists entering the Gold Coast from the M1.
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Main Beach and Southport are beautiful places and no one company or tourist facility has the right to so degrade the visual amenity and meaning of the area. |
Another article about the Sea World Giant Observation Wheel
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