Private Sector Boost to Carrara Stadium Redevelopment

Plans for the Gold Coastâs most significant private infrastructure project in recent times have been launched at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre this morning.
The Carrara Sports and Entertainment Precinct Development is a $63 million mixed use development on Nerang-Broadbeach road directly across from the Carrara Sports Complex.
It comprises a large licensed club, top-end mini-markets, restaurants, offices, fast food and under croft parking for 960 large and small vehicles.
The Shane Denman-designed plans will be submitted to Council for development approval today by Surfers Paradise-based Urban Planning Services on behalf of developers and landowners Bramley Properties Pty Ltd.
Construction will create 340 jobs, 220 will be created when the project is operational and completion is expected in early 2011 to coincide with the completion of the Carrara Stadium re-development.
According to Urban Planning Services principal, Michael Nash, the project "will give heart, a core and seven day a week operation" to the Carrara sports precinct.
Nash explained, "weâve had discussions with representatives of the various Coast national sporting codes and several have expressed interest in the project and particularly the licensed club.
âWeâve had very positive preliminary discussions with Council officers who are involved in the master planning of the area and those in the State Government involved in the Carrara Stadium upgrade and they are just waiting for us to lodge our plans, which weâll be doing today.
âConnectivity is a major factor with road, rail and pedestrian integration ticking all the boxes.
âItâs low rise, there are no height, noise or other impact issues and itâs a perfect use for the site,�? he said.
Nash added that the remaining open space on the 212,000 metre2 site will play host to sporting fields for junior sport.
âAs the city grows, space for football ovals and the like is increasingly at a premium, so another community legacy of the project will be to provide centrally-located sports grounds.
âAFL is an obvious candidate with GC 17 set to cause an explosion in Australian Rules interest at a junior level.�?.
Queensland Tourism Minister and Member for Southport Peter Lawlor said in tough times it was great to see investors prepared to put $63million into the Carrara Sports and Entertainment Precinct.
"This is a wonderful facility for sporting events and tourism as well as an important job creation project.
"It will complement the Queensland Government's investment in the new Gold Coast AFL Stadium and is well placed to cater for overflow parking.
"The two facilities should complement each other well," he said.
Gold Coast City area Councillor and Gold Coast Sports Business Taskforce Chair Bob La Castra said heâs looking forward to Councilâs assessment of the application, stating "I believe this is the sort of project identified in the Guragunbah master plan for the Carrara Sports Precinct.
âIt proposes a major investment in the precinct, and indeed our city, and Iâll be very interested to follow the progress of the project."
Other features of the Carrara development include the installation of large outdoor âcommunityâ screens for the broadcast of major national and international sporting events, mini-metropolitan-style markets and office accommodation.
For more information contact Michael Nash of Urban Planning Services on 07 5570 4994.