It’s a block on a high place

Tweed residents to have say on vertical growth for 30,000 people

A Tweed council planning expert says Surfers Paradisesized skyscrapers on Cabarita Beach isn’t “on our radar” despite 30,000 people forecast to flock to the region by 2041.

Tweed Shire Council has launched a six-week community consultation program for its 2024 Growth Management and Housing Strategy.

Council aims to release the strategy in time for local council elections in September.

The consultation gives residents a chance to have their say on proposed options to meet demand for housing over the next 20 years. And while census-based state government data projections indicated that the Tweed’s population is expected to grow to 13,290 people by 2041, council’s consultant (Informed Decisions) said the region could expect as many as 31,571.

The council states planning is also required to accommodate for 11,000 jobs in the shire in the same period.

With some residents concerned the Gold Coast’s urban sprawl will crawl south, Tweed Shire Council unit co-ordinator, strategic planning and urban design Iain Lonsdale said “Surfers Paradise-sized skyscrapers on Cabarita Beach” were unlikely .

“We’re not talking about massive moves in terms of building heights. Tweed Heads already has some high-rises but having them throughout the region is not really on our radar,” he said.

“We have heard concerns from people that they don’t want the Tweed to be the Gold Coast, and we get that. We are not looking to go vertical in the Tweed.”

But Mr Lonsdale said that it was “important we do look at high density options that can relate to the Tweed’s character”.

“The reality is average income earners have been priced out of the Tweed a long time ago. Something has to change.”

Mr Lonsdale said people attending community consultation sessions were “more open to higher density options than they once were”.

“It’s at a point where we need to accept the crisis we are facing,” he said.

The council’s director of planning Denise Galle said community feedback played a vital role in future-proofing the Tweed. “This plan is about increasing the diversity of options to address future growth,” she said.

Residents are invited to community information sessions (in person or online) before making submissions at yoursaytweed.com.au/futuretweed until Friday, March 22.