Chinese developer Ridong, the original developer of the Gold Coast’s $1 billion Jewel project, has lodged plans for a “wellness and tourism retreat” in Tallebudgera Valley on the Gold Coast.
The $60 million proposal seeks approval for a six-star, 98-room key resort, 113 residential dwellings, a 16-hectare man-made lake and a contemporary European art and sculpture gallery modelled off Tasmania’s Museum of Old and Modern Art (MONA).
In plans submitted to the Gold Coast City Council in late September, Ridong has also proposed a 3-storey health and wellness centre with a day spa, a waterfront chapel for wedding services, two conference centres and three restaurants.
Chairman of the Ridong Group, Riyu Li, began acquiring parcels of land in Tallebudgera Valley in 2014.
The “wellness and tourism retreat” will cover sites owned by Li on Tallebudgera Connection Road and Tallebudgera Creek Road.
The Ridong Group sold its 45 per cent share in the Jewel towers in February.
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Artist impressions of a chapel (top left), health and wellness centre (right) and art museum (bottom) in the Gold Coast hinterland.
In applying for the rezoning the rural 47.5-hectare rural site, Ridong has positioned the development as a “significant investment in the development of an integrated tourism resort” catering to a growing inbound tourism market interested in health and wellbeing.
Building heights will be largely low- to medium-rise, with the hotel component of the development reaching 5-storeys. The proposed development will cover less than 9 per cent of the nearly 50-hectare site.
The 4-storey, 14,885sq m contemporary art gallery will be privately operated and comprise a curated cultural exhibition space, a 100-seat theatre and automotive museum.
Ridong said that the gallery will act as a “world class” tourism attraction for the area as the Gold Coast “doesn’t currently have an art gallery of such proposed scale”.
Ridong has appointed architecture firm DBI for preliminary design duties.
The major development is currently in preliminary assessment with the Gold Coast City Council and is not expected to progress before 2019.