Expansion at Gold Coast Airport to provide region with a jobs bonanza

THE Gold Coast Airport expansion is not just creating jobs during construction — there will also be nearly 250 jobs post build.

JOB opportunities are set to take off in more ways than one with major works about to commence at the Gold Coast Airport.

With the completion of the expanded aircraft parking apron completed prior to the Commonwealth Games, focus now turns to the southern terminal expansion which will provide a new international facility complete with long-awaited airbridges.

It won’t be the only construction commencing on the airport precinct with Federal Government approval of a $50 million hotel also due to start in the coming months.

Artist impression of the new hotel and conference centre at the Gold Coast Airport.

Queensland Airports Limited Property and Infrastructure Executive General Manager Carl Bruhn said between the two projects, 320 jobs would be created during the construction phases and more than 240 jobs post construction.

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“These projects, coupled with work being carried out to redevelop the Border Park site and the former Garden World site will mean that the area will be one of the biggest employment generators on the southern Gold Coast and Tweed,” Mr Bruhn said.

Queensland Airports Limited General Manager Property and Planning, Antonio Tolo.

“The terminal expansion and the hotel will start at roughly the same time but will be independent of each other and while the will be a lot of construction movement going on, we have taken steps to ensure the work won’t impact on normal airport operations and passenger movements.

“There is an access road which comes of the former highway which will be used for both work sites to minimise disruptions to passengers using the terminal.

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“On completion of both projects, this access road will be improved to provide a second connection to the airport off the old highway and a quick route to the M1.”

Mr Bruhn said demolition work on the Border Park site should be completed this year and it was envisaged that the site would be suitable for mixed used from light industrial and storage to offices but not all necessarily connected to the aviation industry.

“It is planned that there will be a traffic light controlled intersection allowing access to Border Park and the airport and we have had strong support from tweed Shire Council for the commercial development of Border park,” Mr Bruhn said.

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“A development application has been lodged with Tweed Shire Council for the former Garden World site on Wollemi Place next to the M1 for a distribution and warehouse centre.

“Currently it is being used fro vehicle storage and there are limited landscaping operations there and these would be phased out so site works could commence early next year.”

Mr Bruhn said work on the hotel and new terminal expansion was expected to take about two years to complete.

“We expect this zone around the airport to become a major economic driver for the not only the southern Gold Coast and Tweed but also for the region with links to transport and with conference capacity through both the hotel and Southern Cross University,” he said.