Southport or Robina? Suburbs emerge as rivals for CBD crown
Two suburbs have emerged as likely locations for the Gold Coast’s official CBD – with strong cases being made for both.
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Robina and Varsity Lakes will continue to grow and be the Gold Coast’s alternative central business district to Southport, according to a city councillor.
Both Dan Doran, based in Robina, and fellow councillor Brooke Patterson who has her office in the Southport main street, believe their suburbs are strongest placed for commercial growth.
Mr Doran said Robina and Varsity Lakes were “doing fine” as the rivalry with the older northern CBD continues to hot up.
He believes Robina-Varsity Lakes is ticking all the boxes on growth.
“In my opinion, a successful CBD must have both a thriving commercial area and a residential community,” Mr Doran said.
“Robina and Varsity Lakes has the most commercial office space in the city, two train stations, easy access to the M1, public and private hospitals, TAFE, a stadium, university, fourth largest shopping centre in the country, Greenheart and the friendliest residents on the Gold Coast.”
Robina had about 7200 residents in 2016. It is expected to have a workforce of 40,000 and a population of 92,000 by 2050.
“We’re doing fine, and we’re just getting started. I don’t mind what Southport chooses to call itself,” Mr Doran said.
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But CBD Gold Coast CEO Graham Staerk said the debate about which location was the Coast’s CBD had been settled.
Southport was already the defined CBD of the Coast in official state and council policy, Mr Staerk said.
“That debate was run and won over a decade ago, in the face of a concerted campaign by Robina developers to usurp the mantle. The task is now to build it out in a manner that makes it a great place to love, work and raise a family,” he said.
Ms Patterson welcomed the master plan being developed by council entity Invest Gold Coast.
“Southport is a great place to live, work and raise a family, and I’m excited to see what comes of the CBD master plan being developed by the new Invest Gold Coast entity,” she said.
“This plan has the opportunity to help us work out what we need to face the challenge that all CBD’s face, and that’s to keep it thriving outside of business hours.”
The Gold Coast City Council in 2022 moved to put together its own Robina Central Planning Review in consultation with residents and businesses as the State Government began planning an athletes village near its retail heart.
In March this year, the Government scrapped that plan and opted for a village further north at Royal Pines.
Mr Doran and hinterland-based councillor Glenn Tozer have since been lobbying the State for improved east-west transport connections as part of the Olympic infrastructure program.
Originally published as Southport or Robina? Suburbs emerge as rivals for CBD crown
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