Redland investment arm to oversee Cleveland CBD revamp

A long-delayed overhaul of a major bayside city centre is back on the agenda — but the investment arm leading the revamp hasn’t completed a major project in years and just lost another CEO.

The Cleveland CBD is ready for a revamp. Picture: Redland City Council

Cleveland’s long-stalled town centre revamp is back in the spotlight — but the task has been handed to a council-owned company that hasn’t completed a major project in over a decade and just lost its second CEO in six months.

At a Redland City Council meeting this week, councillors voted to let Redland Investment Corporation (RIC) begin drafting a new plan for Cleveland’s redevelopment, just days after acting CEO Anca Butcher abruptly resigned. Her exit follows the December departure of long-serving CEO Peter Kelley, raising fresh questions about RIC’s leadership stability.

Despite RIC’s incomplete project track record, the council has opted for a joint governance model, with the company leading planning alongside council officers.

Councillor Paul Bishop criticised the move, questioning both timing and process. He argued it was “not in the best interests of our council or community,” given RIC’s internal instability and ongoing project backlog.

Vacant tenancies plague Cleveland CBD. Picture: Kara Sonter

“I want to affirm my strong support for revitalising Cleveland,” Cr Bishop said. “But if we now involve a fourth project — arguably the most ambitious — without resolving leadership gaps, we introduce unnecessary risk.”

He also questioned why the motion was introduced without wider consultation, warning that pushing ahead under a still-undefined governance structure could result in further delays or missteps.

However, Cr Peter Mitchell, who brought the motion forward, said the time for delays had passed.

“Cleveland has been stuck in limbo for too long,” he said. “We need a bold, clear strategy to unlock its potential and attract investment.”

Plans to overhaul Cleveland’s CBD include high rises and new shops.

Cr Mitchell clarified that the project hadn’t been approved yet — the council had only asked RIC and staff to prepare a report by July outlining options for sites, civic assets, and funding.

The Cleveland CBD has been flagged for renewal since a 2010 master plan proposed a vibrant, mixed-use centre with public spaces, cultural facilities, and a retail precinct. Yet little of that vision has materialised, beyond minor upgrades and sporadic private development.

Even past RIC involvement fizzled, including a 2016 plan sidelined in favour of the Chefs Inc. food truck concept — a pop-up precinct of rotating vendors in shipping containers.

Cr Wendy Boglary urged caution, calling for a workshop to reflect on past failures before moving forward.

“We need to get this right,” she said.