Vision endorsed
Revitalising Southport has support
MOMENTUM is building behind a bold plan to build commercial towers on council-owned carparks in the heart of Southport, as business leaders back the proposal.
The Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday revealed Mayor Tom Tate had developed a proposal which would see the Mal Burke and Athol Paterson carparks and the Southport Library sites transformed into the mixed-used commercial highrises.
These buildings would be home to a Supreme Court, State Government departments, ministerial offices, a new library and the council’s chambers.
Southport MP Rob Molhoek will tonight speak in support of the proposal in State Parliament.
He said that the proposal would realise the potential of the area as it was conceived five years ago as a ‘priority development area’ (PDA).
“The PDA was intended to promote businesses and there is a long-standing protocol that would require both the council and state to eventually co-locate principally around areas such as Southport,” Mr Molhoek said.
“Having the council and state relocate in time to Southport would resolve a lot of issues and would also attract a lot of commercial interest.
“The reason this has not previously happened was the lack of A-grade office space which means we have state offices scattered all over the Gold Coast.”
Gold Coast Titans owner Rebecca Frizelle said the proposal “just made sense”. “Southport is the CBD of the Gold Coast and is home to world class education and health facilities,” she said.
“It is necessary for the growth of our city CBD that we attract local and state government departments, including a Supreme Court. This is not a new idea.”
The Mayor said yesterday he had been developing the plan for eight months and would take it before councillors soon to gain their backing.
He will also write to State Development Minister Cameron Dick to pitch the proposal.
Southport RSL general manager Paul Burton said it was “one of the more sensible ideas which had been put forward in a while” while Southport Chamber of Commerce president Laird Marshall was enthusiastic.
Area councillor Dawn Crichlow was livid at the proposal.
“None of this has come before the council, it is frightening people and I am angry about this,” she said. “We know nothing about this.”