Sun to shine on Gold Coast

THE Government has unveiled the future plans for the Sunshine Coast’s biggest tourism competitor, the Gold Coast.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Jackie Trad joined City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate to unveil the future plans for the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP), which is expected to support more than 20,000 jobs and significantly diversify the city’s economy for the future.
In releasing the precinct’s master plan, Ms Trad said the GCHKP would be the largest urban renewal project ever undertaken on the Gold Coast and was an exciting step in the Palaszczuk Government’s Advance Queensland Initiative.
“Through Advance Queensland, we’re focused on ensuring we diversify and future-proof Queensland’s economy, particularly in important regional centres like the Gold Coast, by turning to knowledge based industries for the jobs of tomorrow,” Ms Trad said.
“The GCHKP is already home to some of Queensland best research and medical facilities and currently supports more than 9200 jobs, including 5250 in health and 500 in research.
“Once this 200 hectare precinct is fully developed, we expect to see our Advance Queensland initiative in action, supporting more than 20,000 jobs for the Gold Coast and supercharging its expanding knowledge economy.”
Ms Trad said the GCHKP is already fast becoming one of the Gold Coast’s most vibrant communities, benefiting from more than $5 billion in infrastructure including Griffith University, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast Private Hospital, major road upgrades, Gold Coast Light Rail and the development of the $550 million Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) Village.
“The master plan will bring together and activate the full potential of this site, guiding the redevelopment of the village’s legacy benefits to achieve a genuine, well designed and integrated urban community, offering a mix of residential, recreational and commercial facilities, and open space to maximise opportunities for interactions,” she said.
“We know Queensland is at the forefront of new ideas and innovation and this master plan will transform the precinct into an integrated and collaborative hub for learning, research, knowledge creation and investment, and will help facilitate the commercialisation of newly developed technology.”
Ms Trad said the benefits of the precinct to the Gold Coast’s economy in the short and long term will be enormous, supporting and creating jobs, attracting investment to the city and stimulating the innovation, health and knowledge industries.