With just over one third of the $9m required for a proposed redevelopment of Surfers Paradise’s iconic Cavill Mall already allocated, the draft plan for the redevelopment has gone on display.

Designed to ‘de-clutter’ the space, the redevelompent makes provision for dynamic coloured LED lighting, raised busking platforms and more shade trees.  The need for the upgrade has been almost universally accepted already, as the space is beginning to look tired – especially compared to the freshly upgraded foreshore and new Soul commercial space.

Surfers Paradise Councillor Susie Douglas is hoping that the remaning funding will be allocated in this years’ budget.

With Council’s Economic Development and Tourism Committee allocating a further $1.54m to a proposed revamp to the Cavill Avenue Mall in Surfers Paradise, the revamp is now another step closer.  The timing couldn’t be better, with the Surfers Paradise Foreshore Redevelopment approaching completion.

Committe chair, and Surfers Paradise councillor Susie Douglas has stated that:

“The Committee recommended Council enter into negotiations with the Foreshore redevelopment managing contractor, Abi Group, to get the mall project underway as soon as possible.

“As part of a second stimulus package, Council set aside an initial $2 million and considerable work has now been done, including consultation with key external stakeholders, to develop a comprehensive management plan and delivery strategy for the project.”

As part of the splitting of Tabcorp’s casino and wagering businesses, Jupiters Casino will be recieving a $175 million upgrade to increase its attraction to international and high-roller markets.  The renovation will include an upgrade of the pool and facilities, as well as the addition of new restaurants and a new nightclub.

Despite some public opposition, Council’s planning committee has signed off on Potter Group’s 52-storey redevelopment of Broadbeach’s Main Place.  The current plans include 173 resort hotel suites, 320 apartments, nearly 1800sqm of shops and restaurants and 2346sq m of commercial floorspace – however local councillor Eddy Saroff is lobbying to have the hotel portion of the building reduced in size.

The extent of this reduction could threaten the viability of the project, the construction of which is expected to add nearly 800 jobs and over $700m to the local economy.

Council has signed off on a new 45-storey tower for Scarborough St in Southport.  The new building, Iridium, will be built by Ingles Group and will include over 330 apartments, as well as commercial, retail and cafe space.  The building will be built near the future light rail station, and next door to the existing Little Theatre.  As part of the renewal, the developer will assist with redevelopment of the theatre’s green room and box office.

Rayjon Properties, the owner of the Treetops shopping centre on the corner of Bermuda St & Reedy Creek Rd has lodged plans for the first stage of it’s Urbia development.  The Urbia Burleigh development, to take place on the Treetops plans to include close to 10,000sqm of shopping centre floorspace, 8,700sqm of offices and several hundred apartments.  The plans include buildings up to 20 storeys in height, as well as a cafe and restaurant strip.

Stage 1 will incorporate 70 apartments, nearly 3500sqm of office space and an expansion of the existing Coles shopping centre.  Approval is expected next year, however construction isn’t slated to begin until 2012 at the earliest.

APG have begun marketing their new development to be built on the old Volare restaurant site on the Gold Coast Highway in northern Broadbeach.  Details are still incomplete, but the project is expected to comprise 1+ study and 2 bedroom apartments with pricing indications from $439,000.

Following the successfull sell-out of The Parc at Tugun, and with only a few townhouses remaining for sale at the (still uncompleted) Cassia development in Merrimac, Sunland are preparing to launch their next townhouse project, in The Glades precinct in Robina.  The move underscores the resilience of the middle property market, and highlights the local developer’s shift from highrise back to housing developments.

Potter Group’s proposed 52-storey apartment building is receiving some opposition from the traders in the area surrounding Main Place where it is slated to be built.  Positioned opposite the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, as well as a future Rapid Transit stop, the developer sees the central Broadbeach transport hub as an obvious choice for increasing height and density, however at 52 storeys, the tower would be the tallest in Broadbeach, eclipsing The Oracle’s Beach Tower at 50 storeys and exceeds Local Area Plan requirements.

A period of consultation with the public and Council will take place, which could lead to a reduction in the height and density of the development.

Ridong Gold Coast Developments, the comapny behind Pacific Beach – a $1bn luxury high rise development to be built on the Surfers Paradise beachfront – has brought in three overseas architects to assist with the building’s design.

The firms, Oppenheim Architecture and Design, Marks Barfield Architects and Llewelyn Davies Yeang from the US, UK & Malaysia respectively, are refining the DBI Design concept plans for the project.  Construction itself remains some way off however, with the developer in the process of refurbishing several of the buildings on the site with a view to renting them out in the short term, while plans are prepared and lodged with Council.