WORK on the first two subdivisions in the new Cobaki Lakes township, west of the Gold Coast Airport, is expected to start in July following Joint Regional Planning Panel approval for the project last week.

Australian property billionaire Bob Ell, whose company Leda had been pushing for the development for 20 years, said the work would make way for the first of 5500 homes planned for the site.

“We will deliver the most exciting and affordable range of homes ever seen on the Tweed,” Mr Ell said.

He added that he was relieved to finally have the approvals in place to create his “vision for a master- planned community focused on family living with affordable housing options in a unique environmental setting”.

Former Tweed mayor Cr Warren Polglase, who as mayor was involved with Gold Coast City Council in negotiations for traffic connections from the proposed development into Tugun via Boyd St, welcomed the approval, saying construction work was vitally needed to create jobs for trades workers.

On Thursday, despite lengthy submissions from green groups and community activists opposed to the plans, the Joint Regional Planning Panel approved the subdivisions containing 916 blocks of land.

Leda says the planned township near the Tugun Bypass and John Flynn Hospital will eventually be home to 12,000 residents.

The company says its development will contribute an additional 100ha for conservation and environmental remediation and provide over 30ha of sports fields and parklands.

“Leda intends that Cobaki will become a flagship residential development alongside its many successful commercial and retail projects,” said Leda's Greg Campbell.