PLANS REVEALED FOR NEW SPORT, CULTURE PRECINCT
HOPE Island developer Chris Louw has unveiled ambitious plans to transform the Hope Island Fitness Centre into a business and community hub.
Mr Louw and business partner Abel Erasmus purchased the fitness centre, which lies on the corner of Hope Island Rd and Activa Way within the Hope Island Resort, through their company Capgrow for an unknown sum. The sale is due to settle in November with work to commence shortly afterwards.
The centre is open 24/7 and currently contains 12 tennis courts and a gym. It also offers outdoor group fitness classes.
Mr Louw resides in Hope Island Resort and previously put forward plans to develop a retirement village on the 2ha site, but these plans were dropped after community opposition.
“We took it off the table and went back to the drawing board after residents’ feedback was that they would prefer a low-impact community village where people could focus on fitness, health and spending quality time with their family,” Mr Louw said.
“The new design proposes the development of a significant sports and cultural precinct with a range of indoor and outdoor recreation facilities.”
Mr Louw is looking for operators for a gym and childcare centre, day spa and dance studio, indoor trampoline centre, martial arts, Pilates and music school, as well as a cafe and allied health and serviced offices.
Zarraffa’s Coffee and Bounce Trampoline Park are two tenants he is targeting for the precinct.
Mr Louw said the design for the land, which lies within precinct 7 of Hope Island Resort, meets approved uses for the area and therefore does not re
quire development approval.
He said the development of the Activa Sports & Cultural Village would enable parents in the area to cut travel time for many sporting and recreational activities.
“Locals would prefer to take their children to extra-curricular activities in Hope Island rather than driving all over the Gold Coast,” Mr Louw said.
“As a father of two busy children who are involved in so many sporting and cultural activities, I am personally hoping that my commuting and waiting time will be eased by the new village.”
He has received support from councillor Cameron Caldwell, whose division encompasses Hope Island.
“I am always supportive of developments that offer significant investment opportunities for locals, especially those that provide the chance for people to start their own businesses close to their homes,” Cr Caldwell said.
“Anything we can do to lessen the driving burden on parents and community members generally is a positive in my opinion.
“Community hubs like the one proposed have potential to connect everyone, especially families.”
Mr Louw said he was seeking expressions of interest from prospective tenants for shops and buyers for strata units in the precinct.
Mr Louw moved from South Africa to Australia in 2008.
He later purchased and merged four commercial real estate businesses in the Gold Coast and Brisbane under NAI Harcourts brand.
Capgrow was founded in 2013 as an investment syndicate by Mr Louw and Mr Erasmus for development and management of commercial, industrial and retail and other development projects.