Sunland is back. The Gold Coast developer behind Q1 and Palazzo Versace has secured development approval from the City of Gold Coast for 101 OBR Residences, a $390 million, 42 storey tower of 81 apartments at 99 to 101 Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach, and will launch it to market in the coming months. It is the first project under the Sunland name since the company left the ASX in 2023, and marks the return of the Abedian family, now running Sunland as a private company.
Designed by Contreras Earl Architecture, the 146.5 metre tower sits on a 1,283 square metre corner site at Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue, on the northern edge of Broadbeach, looking across the Broadbeach Bowls Club, Broadbeach Park and its soccer fields to the ocean two minutes’ walk away. Construction is scheduled to start in early 2027, with completion anticipated in mid-2031.
Sunland founder and director Soheil Abedian says an expression of interest campaign run before the approval has already shown the depth of demand in the precinct.
The Broadbeach location is one of the strongest-performing precincts we have seen for decades, and we anticipate 101 OBR Residences will be a fast-selling project, based on the initial response and the pent-up demand for this area.
Soheil Abedian, Director, Sunland
The design moves away from the usual Gold Coast pairing of a boxy podium and a tower. A landscaped base of curved concrete planters, timber-look screens and cascading planting wraps the ground floor, four podium parking levels and two amenity levels, while above it a gently sculpted tower of alternating floor slabs rises 35 residential levels.
Sunland describes the slabs as drawing on the soft, undulating forms of coastal dunes and ocean waves, and the material palette on the pink and cream tones of dusk over the city, layered with limestone, natural stone and polished finishes that catch the light.
The 81 residences are large. Two bedroom apartments start at 136 square metres and three bedroom apartments at 190 square metres, rising to sub-penthouses of 257 to 275 square metres, four Sky Homes of 329 square metres and five penthouses of 527 to 556 square metres across Levels 38 to 42. Every apartment is planned around the view corridors to the coast, the park and the hinterland, with balconies of 14 to 105 square metres opening off the living areas.
Two full levels are given to resident amenity, 806 square metres in all. Level 6 is built around wellbeing: a 19 metre pool with views towards the beach, a pool deck with day beds, a barbecue area and bar, hot and cold plunge pools, a sauna and steam room, and a gym with a dedicated yoga room.
Level 7 holds a Club Lounge for working from home, meetings or quiet downtime, and a Residents’ Lounge with a kitchen, private dining and a boutique cinema for entertaining family and friends.
The approval replaces an earlier scheme on the same land. In 2022 Council approved a 46 storey, 59 apartment tower by a previous owner, and Sunland bought the site late last year before lodging its own design with more, and more varied, homes.
The street is changing quickly: next door at 9 Armrick Avenue, two towers of 35 and 40 storeys are under construction, and Old Burleigh Road has become one of the most active apartment corridors on the coast, with the Florida Gardens light rail station within walking distance.
Car parking is generous for the location, with 189 spaces (179 for residents and 10 for visitors) across three basement levels and four podium levels, reached from a crossover on Old Burleigh Road for the basements and one on Armrick Avenue for the podium, plus 34 bicycle spaces at ground level.
Project Rundown
| Development Parameter | Proposed Development |
|---|---|
| Address | 99 to 101 Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach QLD 4218 |
| Application Number | MCU/2026/201 (City of Gold Coast) |
| Development Type | Material change of use for a multiple dwelling (81 apartments) |
| Site Area | 1,283 m², on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue |
| Zone | High density residential zone; unrestricted (HX) building height area; Light rail urban renewal area (frame) |
| Height | 42 storeys / 146.5 m |
| Levels | Three basement levels, ground floor lobby, four podium parking levels, two amenity levels (Levels 6 and 7), 35 residential levels, rooftop plant |
| Apartments | 81: two bedroom from 136 m², three bedroom from 190 m², sub-penthouses of 257 to 275 m², four Sky Homes of 329 m² and five penthouses of 527 to 556 m² on Levels 38 to 42 (lodged mix: 17 two bedroom, 55 three bedroom, 9 four bedroom) |
| Site Cover | Podium 81%; tower 48% |
| Communal Open Space | 806 m² across Levels 6 and 7 |
| Level 6 Amenity | 19 m pool, pool deck and day beds, barbecue area and bar, hot and cold plunge pools, sauna, steam room, gym and yoga room |
| Level 7 Amenity | Club Lounge, Residents’ Lounge with kitchen and private dining, boutique cinema and decks |
| Private Open Space | Balconies of 14 m² to 105 m² |
| Sustainability | Envelope: A slender tower on a 621 m² floor plate, with undulating slab edges shading the glazing; apartments arranged for views, daylight and cross ventilation, with balconies placed to limit overlooking between neighbours. Living Greenery: Deep planting at the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue, raised planters along the street and side boundaries, and cascading planters on every podium level and around the two amenity levels; landscape by Urbis. Water: Not specified or detailed within the documents reviewed. Movement: 34 bicycle spaces (27 resident, 7 visitor) at ground level; Florida Gardens light rail station and the beach within walking distance. Solar PV: Not specified or detailed within the documents reviewed. Waste & Recycling: A single chute with a diverter serving both general waste and recycling, discharging to bulk bins at ground level (two 1.5 m³ general waste and one 2 m³ recycling), collected on site by a front-loading truck. |
| Car Parking | 189 spaces (179 resident, 10 visitor) |
| Bicycle Parking | 34 spaces (27 resident, 7 visitor) |
| Vehicle Access | Two-way crossovers on Old Burleigh Road (basement) and Armrick Avenue (podium) |
| Project Value | $390 million |
| Previous Approval | MCU/2021/603 (2022): 46 storey, 59 apartment tower |
| Status | Development approval from the City of Gold Coast; launch in the coming months |
| Assessment Level | Code assessable |
| Construction | From early 2027; completion anticipated mid-2031 |
| Developer | Sunland |
| Architect | Contreras Earl Architecture |
| Town Planner | Zone Planning |
| Landscape Architect | Urbis |
| Structural Engineer | Edge Consulting Engineers |
| Traffic | Bitzios Consulting |
| Waste | Modus |
| Date Submitted | May 2026 |
About the developer: Sunland
Sunland was founded by Soheil Abedian in 1983 and grew into one of Australia’s best-known developers, delivering Gold Coast landmarks including Q1, for many years the tallest residential tower in the world, and Palazzo Versace. In Brisbane, Brisbane Development covered its Zaha Hadid designed twin towers for Coronation Drive in 2016. The company was delisted from the ASX in 2023 and the Abedian family stepped away, before returning in 2026 to relaunch Sunland as a privately owned company with 101 OBR Residences as its first project.
Plans
101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-plansRenders by Contreras Earl Architecture and landscape plans by Urbis; renders are indicative and subject to change.
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