Southport in 2050 will be a true CBD with tens of thousands of workers
Southport needs to change to become a true CBD. SEE THE PLANS TO GET IT THERE
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Southport under a future City Plan is to become the Gold Coast’s central business district with a new indoor arena the catalyst to “to bring the eyes of the world” on the Broadwater suburb.
City leaders want Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach to remain as Glitter Strip tourist hubs - and a separate CBD built behind it with a workforce to boost the city economy.
But Southport has its doubters with town planning researchers saying it is yet to live up to its name and demanding it become a true CBD could be “swimming against the tide”.
CBD Gold Coast CEO Graham Staerk - whose lobby group has a dozen business owners and developers with a stake in the CBD - said new City entity Invest Gold Coast was creating a master plan and the new council entity had begun consulting widely with businesses.
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One 2050 Southport vision is for council, state and federal offices to be in the CBD along with a legal precinct hosting a Queensland supreme court and Federal circuit court, he says.
A mix of residential and hotels towers would cater for tens of thousands of workers.
“We see the Gold Coast arena as a wonderful catalyst project that will bring the eyes of Australia and the world to the CBD,” Mr Staerk said.
City planning chair Mark Hammel said the council was focused on building a true CBD while supporting other major centres like Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Robina and Coolangatta.
“The Gold Coast has long been known for the Glitter Strip, but as our city matures, we need
more than just lifestyle and tourism. We need a strong civic and commercial heart to anchor
the city’s economic future,” he said.
“There’s still debate about whether the Gold Coast needs a CBD - and while the term might
feel a bit outdated to some, the idea of a core commercial and civic centre in a city of more
than one million people makes absolute sense.
“It should remain an aspiration for the City to have a significant commercial office and employment area in Southport. That’s why, from a planning perspective, the City is focused on supporting a true CBD - and Southport remains the most logical choice.”
The new City Plan also supports multiple business areas across the city.
“Southport isn’t the be all and end all. Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Robina, Burleigh
Heads, Varsity Lakes, Coolangatta and other suburbs all contribute their distinct character,
economic opportunities, and investment potential,” Mr Hammel said.
Griffith University Emeritus Professor of Urban Management and Planning Paul Burton said historic factors worked against Southport being a natural CBD location.
Rather than spreading outwards from one historic location like most cities, the Gold Coast was built through the expansion and connection of many centres along the coastal strip.
“Importantly, CBDs are widely recognised for what they are - places where lots of people
gather every day to do business, whatever that business might be,” he said.
“Formally designating somewhere as a CBD when it is not, in fact, a place where lots of
people go every day to do their business does nothing for the credibility of that place.
“We can aspire to make a place into a CBD, by encouraging and supporting business
investment and improving its accessibility, but there is no guarantee that it will become a
CBD in reality.”
Invest Gold Coast chief operating officer Anca Butcher said an investment attraction plan was being created to ensure Southport could capitalise on new emerging opportunities.
Businesses had complained Southport lacked a long-term partner to help deliver projects. “That’s one of the reasons the City has created Invest Gold Coast as a dedicated arm with access to data, expertise and resources that can support projects over the years it takes to bring them to life,” Ms Butcher said.
“The Gold Coast Arena project is an example of how major projects can become a catalyst
to stimulate further investment. It will draw people into the CBD and support surrounding
businesses and development. Our current work is to do further investigations to identify what
initiatives are required to ensure its success.”
But they also agreed the CBD remains the target for the future home of city council staff.
In late 2023 councillors voted to put the $300m project - a key site was Southport’s Mal Burke car park - on the backburner and strengthening Bundall as a growing commercial precinct.
Mayor Tom Tate said Southport would be needed to accommodate future staff needs and he was open to “twin towers” with one non-commercial and boosting housing stock, however the project should wait until after the 2032 Olympic venue builds.
Urbis director Patrick Hefferan said it was essential that Southport’s position as the CBD should be reaffirmed and “help it grow”.
“This includes massive amounts of residential density in the surrounding suburbs, Southport, CBD Southport, Labrador, Arundel, Biggera Waters, Ashmore. Can be driven through City Plan design parameter changes,” he said.
“We need an economic cornerstone and purpose for this centre – commercial, the arena, education or health – it has to be office and commercial land uses and high density residential,” he said.
“Activation of streetscape – restaurants and bars on to the footpath, cultural activities to encourage patronage and visitation from people in the locality and workers – can be encouraged through state and council exemptions for public works and dining areas.”
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