Man on a mission to get Coast going

GOLD Coast Mayor Tom Tate is heading to Sydney with a message for the developers of the Coomera Town Centre – get on with it or let someone else get a look in.

Cr Tate has locked in a September 20 meeting with executives of Westfield, which is developing the long-delayed project with QIC, and said he intends to ‘‘stir them up’’ to get the development started.

He said a range of other bigticket developments either under way or in planning stages, and a new council, should be enough to convince them to get the longawaited project off the ground.

Cr Tate (pictured) also intends to meet financiers t o p e r s u a d e them to again offer loans to G o l d C o a s t developers.

‘‘I have locked in meetings with the decision-makers at Westfield and they have welcomed that,’’ Cr Tate said. ‘‘They told me that it is the first time a Gold Coast councillor or mayor had ever gone to see them. I want them to look me in the eye and tell me why they can’t get on with the project. If not, I will go to other people wanting to do a similar development and press the button for them. Westfield has invested a lot in this project and I want to know what is stopping it.’’

Westfield has been criticised for not going ahead with the town centre project after infrastructure charges were this year slashed from $165 million to just $6 million.

It is understood the trigger for Westfield to start the development was the number of homes approved for construction in the area and that the figure had not been reached. The delay has also been blamed on the previous council for stifling development.

Cr Tate said he was happy to sit down with Westfield executives to work out a way to get the project, which has been 20 years in the pipeline, on the move.

‘‘I am happy to nut out the next stage with them,’’ he said. ‘‘My message will be that I’m there to make this happen and the mood is there to get the Gold Coast working again, so let’s make it happen.’’

Cr Tate said he also would be appealing to lenders ‘‘to turn the financial tap back on and support people with vision on the Gold Coast again’’.

‘‘I want them to know the Gold Coast is now a safe bet again, and I intend to stay for two terms to ensure there i s longevity for projects,’’ he said.

‘‘I will be saying to them that Chinese and other foreign investors are putting their money here but we also need local investors,’’ he said. ‘‘If foreigners are willing to spend billions on the city it should be a sign to local investors and financiers that we are a good bet.’’