Full list: Light rail, HOTA and Greenheart among top ten infrastructure projects the Gold Coast needs
The Gold Coast will have a million people soon, and co-host the 2032 Olympics - let’s get serious about our most important projects. SEE THE TOP 10 - AND BUY FUTURE GC TICKETS
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Given the Gold Coast will be home to more than a million people, and the city will co-host the 2032 Olympics — let’s get serious about what are our most important projects.
This is not about cruise ship terminals, gondolas in the hinterland or even beach bars. After round table discussions with stakeholders, The Bulletin lists the top ten funding priorities.
LIGHT RAIL STAGE FOUR
Cost estimates suggest $2.7 billion for the tram extension from Burleigh to the airport and Coolangatta. Most likely it will be a $3 billion build.
The 13km extension will provide 14 stations. Key links include Palm Beach, Tugun, the Currumbin Sanctuary and Southern Cross University.
Multi-modal studies show the Gold Coast Highway corridor is the best route, ensuring a pick-up in public transport use. A Burleigh Heads to Tugun community consultation showed 63 per cent of people surveyed supported the trams.
But the LNP most recently fuelled speculation the City’s top infrastructure project was in doubt with the Commonwealth to pull funding.
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Mayor Tom Tate and business leaders in September called on the federal Government to confirm its commitment to the future extension after reports about a review into $120 billion of infrastructure projects.
Mr Tate last week sent letters to key federal ministers seeking support for light rail Stage Four in the lead-up to the announcement in late November on the findings of the review.
He believes if work starts by 2026 then “2030 is very durable”.
All three tiers of government have put in $10 million each on early planning. The focus going forward will be building the “critical stages” first — the creek crossings at Tallebudgera and Currumbin.
Delays after completing the trams from Broadbeach to Burleigh risk a huge cost blowout.
GREENHEART
Greenheart at Robina will become southeast Queensland’s signature parkland. All it requires is a $30 million commitment from all levels of government.
The 2032 Olympics is key to unlocking the funding because the final stages will see an open stage area capable of hosting 60,000 people.
Mr Tate predicts it will be “party central” for the athletes and officials staying at the Robina satellite village.
Work began in May this year on 252-hectare park, to create much-needed recreation space with playgrounds, barbecues, picnic area, events lawn and water play area.
The $21.5 million first stage, off Stadium Drive, is expected to be completed in early 2025.
To gain some perspective on the size of the end project, it will be six times larger than the Broadwater Parklands, or about two-thirds the size of New York’s Central Park.
But councillors regard this project as beyond an Olympic legacy — it must be built to cater for the increased population.
Robina-based councillor Hermann Vorster describes Greenheart as “reconciling people shifting from the backyard to the balcony”.
“I think even if you take the Olympic Games off the table, Greenheart has to be the defining legacy of this council,” he says.
“And that is because our population is soaring. And for a city that aspires to protect lifestyle, this has to be our priority.”
HOTA CULTURAL PRECINCT
HOTA continues to be work in progress after the building of the Gallery, Green Bridge and Outdoor Stage.
The cultural precinct had well documented financial challenges created by Covid. The next steps are to activate the existing new assets, fix the ageing ones and build revenue generating facilities like a screen production centre.
In the City Budget, about $1 million was set aside for planning, getting projects shovel ready.
Mr Tate says a digital education and screen production facility will be investigated while lobbying heats up for a lyric theatre before the 2032 Olympics.
The latest briefing provided to councillors in a closed session shows talks with private tenders for the screen facility, on parking and grassed areas fronting Bundall Road, are far advanced.
Future plans also have shown a 1600-1800-seat theatre, a 600-800-seat boutique theatre, integrated carparking and new food and beverage areas.
The City is likely to undertake refurbishment of the 36-year-old existing central building.
To replace the existing building will require $295 million. At least $29 million would be needed for a renovation.
The City has put overall costings of the next stage of HOTA as high as almost $300 million but the Mayor estimates a Lyric Theatre can be cheaper — around $260 million.
Councillors in November last year supported boosting allied industry uses on areas known as Site “B” — the carparking and grassed sections on the western front side of the precinct facing Bundall Road.
Council decided to progress a Digital Education, Production and Screen Facility on some or all of the City-owned sites — to be leased.
A Market Sounding and Engagement Plan was launched, which a report confirms attracted 50 interested parties, most from Australia with others based the US, Canada, the UK and India.
What happens next? The tenders go out to a second more serious stage to get the right bidder.
CONVENTION CENTRE
The Broadbeach centre opened in 2004 and was last extended in 2008. In the meantime, the Cairns tourism facility got a $176 million upgrade.
Councillors as recently as 2018 asked for the City to again lobby the state Government.
The project could have gained private sector backing if the State had agreed to a monopoly deal with The Star to extend its casino foothold on the Coast as part of talks in the global tourism hub process, only for those negotiations to collapse.
Mayor Tate says the State government must deliver the project, because it was promised. The expansion of the convention centre is overdue by 10 years.
“Now my point here is that the state Government promised that $100 million of convention centre space will be built at Broadbeach. Well, my attitude is that make true that promise,” he said.
Movie World with its new hotel at Oxenford will be able to cater for conferences. The Boutique Stadium, if built, will host conferences.
But City leaders and tourism bosses know the Coast needs more convention space. The Tim Tszyu fight could have sold out twice, they say.
A tourism source said: “The Sunday to Thursday (tourism market) is where the gap is. So we have really high occupancy on weekends, at school holidays is quite documented.
“But that Sunday to Thursday is the lull. So it will be kick started by a reboot of business events investment, which you need to have not just the convention centre to be able to cater for big conferences.
“And we are getting requests for really big conferences which we can’t cater for.”
EAST-WEST ROAD UPGRADES TO EASE CONGESTION “NIGHTMARE”.
The city’s biggest transport challenges are developing east-west connections fast enough to catch up with population growth and major infrastructure plays.
Council and the state Government need to reach agreement on several connections.
These links the Coomera Connector with arterial roads needing urgent upgrades in the north, the future Olympic athletes satellite village with Robina’s congested roads network and light rail heading south with the M1.
In the north, the Connector will force the upgrade of Shipper Drive, where stage one finishes, and Helensvale Road at the south.
Deputy Mayor Donna Gates says the Government is taking over a portion of Foxwell Road where the Coomera Connector will ultimately dump traffic.
“That’s the end of the first stage. So all the traffic that gets on in the south will dump right in the most congested part of northern Gold Coast on a road that’s the second busiest in our city,” Councillor Gates said.
“The Gold Coast Highway is the busiest, and Foxwell Road, a year maybe two years ago was
carrying 42,000 vehicles a day.”
Traffic from the new public and private hospitals will also spill out onto Foxwell Road.
“Lido Developments have bought the site to the north of Westfield Coomera and that’s capable of 4000 homes. And you’ve got Westfield and Costco. It’s a nightmare waiting to happen.
“Council after a brief put to councillors by Mayor have backed a meeting with
Transport Department senior officers to determine the necessary infrastructure.”
The other traffic pinch point from the Connector will be Helensvale Road.
Councillor William Owen-Jones has detailed 10 upgrades on the road. The spend to link it to second M1 could be as high as $150 million.
Further south, officers have had to scrap their most recent transport upgrade plans after Robina was nominated to host the Olympic athletes village, transforming it into a mini-city.
Documents showed the village, with six residential towers, was a small portion of the 8.1 hectare site with at least six “future development sites” nearby.
Council is bracing for traffic chaos, as officers warn of a “transport infrastructure deficit”. Area councillor Hermann Vorster is lobbying for state help.
NORTHERN FILM STUDIOS
In July last year the Bulletin broke the story of “secret talks” with an international consortium about securing rural acreage in the north for new film studios.
The site was 85ha on Stanmore Road at Yatala.
The former property, known as the Enkelmann Farm, was bought by council for $12.8 million in 2018, and earmarked for sporting facilities and recreation.
But City leaders knew the film industry was booming and the existing Village Roadshow facilities at Oxenford further south were often booked out.
Fast forward to now and council is ramping up a tender process which will see the promise of the Glitter Strip being the “Hollywood of the South Pacific” becoming a reality.
A private briefing to councillors detailed the outcomes of an extensive market engagement with national and international film studios, global real estate developers, and government officers.
Officers reached out to 36 operators in Australia, 35 in the United States and Canada, and five in the United Kingdom.
The Expression of Interest opportunity opened in March was extended. A confidential City report is now available to the public.
Proponents were asked to provide plans on current and future post production and virtual production capabilities, along with industry skills training partnerships and programs.
The City’s chief investment officer and a screen industry adviser held 35 meetings in Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles with screen industry representatives to identify interest and encourage expressions of interest.
Three submissions were received with one ruled out early as the remaining two advanced through to the next stage. Councillors are backing a full tender process.
The council will now enter into a lease arrangement with the successful tender.
INDOOR STADIUM AND SURFERS TOWN HALL VENUE
The Gold Coast needs an indoor arena — it will mean concert goers do not have to travel to Brisbane, and more conventions can be held here along with NBL games.
The indoor stadium push runs parallel to the city’s booming population.
An initial report to council showed the city has a deficit of indoor entertainment stadiums for its size and must pursue a new major event centre or risk losing billions of dollars.
Councillors will be briefed this month on the status of the project.
They have been warned Brisbane would gain a stranglehold on the lucrative entertainment, convention and sporting market courtesy of the 2032 Olympic Games.
“Six new venues including Brisbane Arena will be developed in time to host competition events for Brisbane 2032,” the City officer’s report said.
No costings have been made public. However, as a guide, industry insiders estimate Robina Stadium was expected to deliver $1.2 billion economic return to Queensland across 10 years, attracting 433,000 people a year.
The other big entertainment option which council is exploring involves the Surfers Paradise Town Hall-style centre.
The project would see the Surfers Paradise Transit Centre known “4217” transformed in a bid to make the public site more profitable.
Plans would see the site become “a Town Hall style civic, community and entertainment venue”.
Future uses include civic events, school and community functions, music and concerts, arts and cultural programming.
SURFERS PARADISE MAKEOVER AND SOUTHPORT CBD REVAMP
Surfers Paradise is to get a $40 million makeover. The Southport CBD, by comparison, needs major planning surgery.
In February, councillors agreed to an immediate $40 million revamp after being told the precinct to the beach needed urgent repair.
But some councillors are strongly opposed to the staged $138m revitalisation project for Surfers Paradise. This will be sorted in the next term of council in 2024.
Area Councillor Darren Taylor and officers had recommended the biggest makeover for the Surfers precinct which would cover works on the mall, Cavill Ave to the Nerang River and The Esplanade.
Cr Taylor in his pitch for the spending argued that Surfers Paradise will increase its population by 40 per cent by 2041.
The report to the committee predicts the suburb’s population of 27,000 will reach 44,709, whereas the rest of the Coast’s population is to increase by only 30 per cent.
The city, in late 2019, conducted surveying and found 46 per cent of people interviewed were dissatisfied with the Surfers Paradise precinct, identifying the need for better pedestrian connections, mobility, public safety, shade and active public spaces.
Meanwhile, a report earlier this month revealed the so-called Towers of Power relocating council and government staffers to the Southport CBD is on the backburner and will not happen for another ten years.
The $300m project could even be two decades away, as Bundall strengthens its status as a growing commercial precinct and Robina works to cement itself as the top business hub.
Azzura Group developer Robert Badalotti, planning a separate 108-storey tower in the heart of Southport, says the council must take handbrakes off builders to speed up CBD revitalisation. It should be a target for many developers but key changes are needed to ensure more projects, he said. Councillors, stakeholders and government officials are set to meet to sort out a plan.
NORTHERN HEALTH SECTOR
Health is the biggest employer across the city and the sector will only become more dominant.
But the key is maintaining government investment in health care, and in the north.
Demographer Mark McCrindle, of McCrindle Research, says: “In fact, if we look at the percentage growth in industries on the Gold Coast as measured by growth in employment needed, you’ve got the healthcare sector is going to grow by 52 per cent in
the next five years alone.”
The growth is a nationwide but the Coast gives that upward curve a kick due to is population growth and ageing profile.
“And the third factor is where university meets technology innovation hub meets hospital (at the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct), which creates that growth in jobs, that demand for jobs as well,” he said.
Cr Gates estimates the city receives almost a $3.4 billion a year economic boost from health and medical.
“So we’ve changed directions from just tourism and construction and working on these other areas. The health and knowledge precinct has had a lot to do with it — and along Foxwell Road alone at the moment, we have applications for three hospitals and two daycare facilities that have support health services attached with them,” she said.
The $1.3 billion Coomera Hospital will contain 404 beds, Emergency Department and other specialised services.
Site works are continuing on George Alexander Way with construction due to start next year. The opening date is the second half of 2027.
This project needs bipartisan commitment to time tables to ease stress on the health system. At Gold Coast University Hospital, there has been delays in 70 much-needed new beds.
The Hospital has the busiest ED in the state, treating 31,309 patients in the June quarter. Coast paramedics are spending to 1100 hours in one month waiting with patients.
FIXING THE HOUSING SHORTFALL
One of the city’s most critical challenges is providing housing for its booming workforce.
Demographer Mark McCrindle says “people are looking to work a bit more locally”.
The council in its draft submission to the South East Queensland Regional Plan has asked the state Government to address the social housing shortfall.
The submission show the Coast has 5076 social housing dwellings – much lower than other areas in southeast Queensland.
“The Gold Coast needs another 6000 social housing dwellings to cater for the existing demand,:” the report says.
“When taking into account the proposed population growth, this demand is significantly higher with an estimated 14,000 social housing dwellings required by 2046. Based on an additional 158,100 dwellings, this represents the need for a social housing target of at least nine per cent of all new dwellings to be provided as social housing up to 2046.”
The Coast is the worst performer, in terms of social housing per population, compared to Brisbane, Logan, Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast.
Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon, the Housing Minister, has called on the council to “hurry up” with work on controversial City Plan amendments and stop putting in place “roadblocks” to affordable housing.
Planning chair Mark Hammel is working with officers on solutions to ensure development applications, once approved, lead to immediate construction.
Improved consultation between the Government and City will be the key to unlocking sites.
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