Former raceway set to become border commercial hub
BULLDOZERS rolled into the former Border Park raceway in Tweed Heads this week as the Gold Coast Airport operator seeks to demolish dilapidated buildings to create an economic hub in northern NSW.
Border Park raceway was sold to Queensland Airports Limited, the owner and operator of the Gold Coast, Townsville, Mount Isa and Longreach airports, in 2016.
The raceway was formerly home to the Tweed Heads Coursing Club, which has committed to building a new greyhound racing facility somewhere in the Tweed or southern Gold Coast.
The existing zoning for Border Park allows for a range of potential uses including residential, aged-care and commercial. Work has started on a masterplan that will guide development in the next 10 years.
QAL’s property and infrastructure team also recently lodged a development application with Tweed Shire Council for the former site of the Wollemi Place drive-in theatre.
QAL general manager Carl Bruhn said both sites offered major job-generating potential for the northern NSW and the southern Gold Coast areas.
He said a masterplan was needed for the Border Park site to ensure the company capitalised on the opportunity that it represented.
“It’s connectivity to the M1, Gold Coast Highway and the airport, combined with its location near the beach, makes it a unique proposition that will suit a variety of uses and attract a range of investors,” he said.
“We expect the masterplan will be complete in the first quarter of next year and infrastructure works, including the upgrading nearby intersections, will be developed by mid to late 2020.”
Mr Bruhn said demolition work would take about eight weeks, cleaning up the site.
Strong interest has already been expressed in Wollemi Place due to its central location, Mr Bruhn said.