Revealed: Ten projects the city needs now to recover from Covid-19

M1 upgrades, heavy rail routes and a giant parklands project - you’ve seen out list of the Coast’s 10 most important projects. NOW HAVE YOUR SAY

WHAT are the ten most important projects to kickstart the Gold Coast economy after the downturn caused by Covid lockdowns?

Three major projects were ticked off by a majority of councillors, after a special meeting earlier this month, as their top priorities for funding commitments in the federal poll.

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Gold Coast skyline forever growing — the city needs new projects. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Mayor Tom Tate has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese asking them to back the projects — light rail stage 4, Greenheart and HOTA upgrades — in the lead-up to the election to be held by May.

Here is the top ten — the requests from councillors, MPs and stakeholders — and their status.

Mayor Tom Tate leaves a tram. Picture Glenn Hampson.

(1) Light Rail Stage 4. Funding priority.

Given pre-works for Stage 3 to Burleigh Heads is well underway, the City wants a start on key components of Stage 4 in the next 12 months. This includes a wildlife overpass at Burleigh and major bridge works at Tallebudgera and Currumbin. A joint-funded Stage 4 business case costing $12 million is underway but council has committed $260 million in its forward budgets. The project must be finished by 2029-30 in time for the 2032 Olympics.

The view from HOTA Gallery's rooftop bar. Photo: William Owen-Jones.

(2) Gold Coast Cultural Precinct. Funding priority.

To date council has delivered $130 million worth of capital investment in the Cultural Precinct. This has occurred over the past six years including a green bridge connecting Chevron Island to Surfers Paradise, an outdoor amphitheatre and a new art gallery which opened in May 2021. Future projects include a new state-of- the-art theatre and a studio space, e-gaming and e-sports facilities and digital museum. Further stages will cost $295 million.

Artist impression of Greenheart, the Gold Coast's new proposed parklands between Robina and and Merrimac.

(3) Greenheart. Funding priority.

Located in the geographical centre of Coast, Greenheart will provide badly needed sporting fields across a range of sports a well as walking and riding trails, significant open space for leisure and recreation and a 25,000-patron events space for major events and festivals. At 220 hectares, Greenheart will be much larger than Sydney’s Centennial Parklands and six times the size of the existing Broadwater Parklands. Council has committed $12 million in its 2021-22 budget for stage one of the project. A $150 million investment is sought from the Commonwealth.

Aerial photo — Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

(4) Gold Coast Convention Centre upgrade. No commitment.

The Broadbeach centre opened in 2004 and was last extended in 2008. In the meantime, the Cairns tourism facility is undergoing a $176m upgrade. Councillor Glenn Tozer and Councillor William Owen-Jones at a special budget meeting in 2018 asked for council to intervene to get a commitment from 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. Talks failed and the city continues to miss out on convention business to Brisbane.

Artist impression of a proposed boutique stadium developed for Southport Sharks on the Gold Coast.

(5) Boutique Stadium. No commitment.

Was touted when the GTH was floated by the State Government before the deal failed to progress. The idea was the city could host sporting events and concerts, providing indoor coverage. Coast residents would not need to go to Brisbane to see a visiting artist. Mayor Tom Tate late last year said the council was “actively talking about this concept with several parties”. He was confident the stadium could be built well before the 2032 Olympic Games and would ask that it be included in “the Games-venue mix”. Council’s final investment would depend on where the boutique stadium is finally built. Possible sites include Surfers Paradise-Broadbeach and the Southport Sharks precinct.

The proposed heavy rail link from Varsity to the airport, which has the support of petitioners. Photo: Supplied

(6) Heavy rail upgrade to Coolangatta. Study in progress.

At a transport briefing to councillors late last year there was strong support for heavy rail to go to the border. Support both for trams and trains. Officers indicated studies were continuing on the corridor south from Varsity which runs beside the M1. Cr Tate remains confident about the trains going further south. The State Government has the gazetted route to achieve this. It remains in the mix in the lead-up to the Olympics.

Gold Coast to Brisbane rail line - how the Beenleigh north faster rail will work.

(7) Coast to Brisbane Rail upgrade. State funded and planned.

The State Government has announced a $1.121 billion upgrade of the old rail tracks north of Beenleigh. This will be the first major 2032 Olympic Games infrastructure project. The work is to be in the older rail corridor from Logan to Kuraby and Beenleigh stations, where the Coast service slows. New tracks will be built and old level crossings removed. But to extend the work to Cross River Rail, leading into the CBD and gain faster trains, the Commonwealth must enter the mix with funding.

Traffic congestion near Coomera on the Pacific Motorway M1. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

(8) M1 upgrades including new overhead bridges and exits, Coomera Connector start. Some commitments.

Major upgrades on the MI are continuing at Yatala, Ormeau and Reedy Creek to Tugun in the south. The biggest challenges are around the congestion on exits and entry points at Helensvale, Oxenford and Coomera. Northern-based city councillors Donna Gates and William Owen-Jones have been lobbying the government and believe a new overpass, at Beattie Rd, is needed for the Coomera Connector to work. The best location is Beattie Rd across to Heathwood Drive which would cost at least $200 million. Meanwhile, the second M1 is being trimmed from six to four lanes as the project faces a $600m cost blow-out. Transport Minister Mark Bailey says construction will start this year.

Photo of the Southport CBD.

(9) Tower of power in Southport CBD. No commitment.

An office tower, possibly on land near the Southport Courthouse, is regarded as a CBD transforming project. It could include council chambers, Supreme Law Court and Australian Tax Office. Mayor Tom Tate and area councillor Brooke Patterson are strong advocates, involved in lobbying federal MPs.

From a Biolink study for the Gold Coast City Council - potential koala locations at Coomera.

(10) Koala funding. No commitment.

The council late last year moved to secure 400ha of prime development land to protect the city’s most important wildlife corridor. The compulsory acquisition on the development site at East Coomera had since led to legal proceedings. It could cost up to $25 million. Councillors

William Owen-Jones and Cameron Caldwell remain strong advocates of council obtaining a set amount of funding from the Commonwealth, up to $10 million to ensure the overall acquisition program continues.