The southern Gold Coast's top five apartment developments launching in 2024
The south of the Gold Coast rings differently to the rest of the in demand tourist hot spot which occupies around 70 kilometres of Queensland's coastline.
For a long time it's been a place for the locals, more beach shacks than high-rise new development.
However now the smaller suburbs of Palm Beach, Bilinga and Coolangatta, have had a wave of interest from both buyers and developers because they epitomise the relaxed Gold Coast lifestyle that both local and southern state dwellers seek.
After a busy 2023 in the southern pocket of the Gold Coast, there seems to be no slowing down in 2024.
We've picked the top five apartment developments which are expected to go live this calendar year.
Location: 39 McLean Street, Coolangatta
Developer: Immerse Projects
Burgeoning developer Immerse Projects will be looking to launch their second Coolangatta apartment project to the market later this year, having received approval from the Gold Coast City Council late last.
Veteran builder John Kearney, who heads up renowned developer Greyburn, is behind the 17-level apartment project at 39 McLean Street, adjacent to his Rhythm Kirra Hill development which is currently on the market.
The McLean Street development will deliver 58 new apartments comprising a mix of two-and three-bedroom designs, with the project to be topped by a 240 sqm penthouse.
The development will deliver a range of resident amenities including resort-style rooftop providing a communal lounge room, pool, gymnasium and sauna. The design offers additional communal areas on the ground and first levels that will provide meeting rooms for work-from-home use and parcel delivery lockers for online purchases by residents.
Read more: Immerse Projects secure approval for second Coolangatta apartment tower
Location: 307 Golden Four Drive, Bilinga
Developer: Molti
Last year South East Queensland developer Molti acquired a site and submitted plans for their first Gold Coast apartment development, on the beachfront at 307 Golden Four Drive in Bilinga.
The BDA Architecture-designed project, next door to the under construction Si Bilinga apartment development and a few doors down from the recently launched Pipis by Siera, will have 19 apartments designed for the owner-occupier.
BDA Architecture design aims for an innovative architectural building that will become a timeless landmark along Golden Four Drive and the beachfront.
The building will have three distinct areas: a landscaped entry, a series of vertical and horizontal elements, and a large expressed floating roof with private rooftop recreation areas.
The apartments designed for owner-occupiers come in 16 three-bedroom apartments with multi-purpose rooms and three four-bedroom apartments, with only two units on each floor. The upper levels will include two double-storey penthouses.
Residents will have access to communal amenities on the ground floor such as a swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, dining area, and sauna.
Read more: First look exclusive: Molti secure prime Bilinga site, plan luxury apartment project
Project: Miles Residences Kirra second stage
Location: Corner Miles Street and Marine Paradise, Kirra QLD 4225
Developer: KTQ Group
KTQ Group is in the early works of its newest master-planned development in Kirra, a renowned surfing destination and holiday spot on the Gold Coast.
Led by owner Peggy Flannery, KTQ Group has spent 11 years bringing the vision for Kirra Point to life in collaboration with architect Mark Damant from Little Boat Projects.
The $85 million lifestyle precinct aims to reinvigorate Kirra, featuring luxury apartments, a laneway retail precinct, new food and beverage outlets, a luxury hotel, and the reinvention of the existing Kirra Beach Hotel on the site.
Stage one of the four-stage mixed-use development includes the already sold-out Miles Residences, which consists of 116 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments with a north-facing oceanfront perspective.
The Woods Bagot-designed Miles also offers a suite of 5-star amenities featuring a 25-metre north-facing pool overlooking Kirra Point.
Two hospitality venues, Kirra Beach Hotel and Kirra Beach House, were opened in November.
The next phase includes Kirra Point Stays, offering elevated hotel apartment accommodation in the Miles apartments for holidaymakers to experience life like a Kirra local.
The long-term plan for stage two includes the construction of a second residential apartment tower, a boutique hotel, and a carefully curated laneway retail precinct.
The retail area will feature a lively village square, boutique retailers, artisans, a fresh food marketplace, a delicatessen, a florist, a bakery, gelateria, more food and beverage offerings, and a dedicated fitness, wellness, and recovery facility.
Project: Palais Coolangatta
Location: 31-35 McLean Street, Coolangatta QLD 4225
Developer: BeckDev
Developer BeckDev is still working through some design changes at Palais, their $130 million apartment development in Coolangatta.
Designed by BDA, Palais is set to include 170 one, two, and three-bedroom residences with panoramic views and private hotel-style amenities.
BeckDev has made significant design concessions, including a notable reduction in height and scale when they proposed a redesign last year. Originally the proposal was for 22 levels, however BeckDev has had to reduce the height of the tower to 17 levels.
The revised plans were submitted to the council in August, addressing concerns about the building's impact on the skyline and its proximity to an existing 24-storey structure.
Palais is located on the former Jazzland site in Coolangatta, aiming to honour the historical significance of the Jazzland Dance Hall's cultural legacy.
The residential tower and podium have been designed to recess, preserving the iconic Art Deco facade constructed in 1928, which serves as the gateway to the dance hall.
The development will feature premium residential facilities on two separate levels, including office pods, a pool, gym, theatre, private dining function rooms, a kid's play area, and barbecue breakout areas offering views across the bay to the Surfers Paradise skyline.
Palais is positioned just 200 metres from the beach, emphasising its coastal proximity and lifestyle appeal.
Project: Kirra Beach Residences
Location: 10 Churchill Street, Coolangatta QLD 4225
Developer: Pyco Group
Brisbane developer Pyco Group will hope for a speedy approval process at its first Gold Coast apartment development. They've plans to transform a prime corner block near Kirra Beach into a 14-level tower dubbed Kirra Beach Residences.
The developer amalgamated four sites to create the 2,044 sqm site at 10 Churchill Street for the project.
Designed by DAHA, Kirra Beach Residences will comprise 97 apartments, with a focus on larger units, offering 79 three-bedroom apartments and 18 two-bedroom apartments.
The ground-floor resident amenities will include a swimming pool, gym, sauna, work-from-home office space, and a media room.
The Coolangatta neighbourhood, particularly Kirra, has witnessed a surge in off-the-plan interest in recent years with various projects such as Hirsch & Faigen's Emerson Kirra, Awaken and Esprit by S&S Projects, and Rhythm Kirra Hill by Immerse Projects. Pyco Group's project aims to bring something different to the surf mecca and bridge the affordability gap.
Read more: First look exclusive: Coolangatta's newest apartment tower plans revealed