Economic Development Strategy

"To create a vibrant town centre for people to work, live and play with a variety of commercial, retail, educational and cultural activities..."

What

The Tweed Heads Ministerial Taskforce commissioned an Economic Development Strategy for the Tweed Heads Town Centre in early 2003. A combined project team of Thomas Consultants, PLACE Planning and Design and Midwood Tourism and Development were appointed by the NSW Department of Planning - Tweed Heads Ministerial Taskforce to complete the project.

The aim of the project was to identify the most appropriate roles and functions of the town centre precinct and to develop a sensible, practical and actionable strategy that reflects both economic factors and physical characteristics of the town centre precinct. The end result is a strategy that will encourage and facilitate development through the town centre in line with the rates of development occuring along the majority of the coastal areas of the region.

The team set about identifying economic, development, design and practical solutions to encourage development, create an identifiable core for business and commerce within the area, mechanisms to begin altering the population characteristics of the study area and to ultimately make the Study area a destination in its own right rather than a transitional or secondary destination.

Why

For a long time Tweed Heads has been a low-key coastal service centre, however, the recent growth and movement of the adjoining Gold Coast has seen flow-on development within the Shire. The simple facilities of the middle of last century became more sophisticated, with the revenue from poker machines buildings and lavishly maintaining large clubs, with regular entertainment and low-priced meals making them popular for tourists and locas alike. This scenario has seen a massive influx of older persons into the study area to a point where they now comprise nearly 50% of the population, which is significantly higher than average levels in other areas. It has been widely recognised that the Tweed Heads area has been neglected and has lost much of its original appeal. Tweed Heads is no longer the thriving centre that it once was.

The business centre has been declining, businesses and commercial uses alike are leaving the area, leaving a mass of vacant and discussed shops and property. It was considered that the town centre needs a re–direction to encourage more appropriate roles and functions for the town centre precinct and to then develop a sensible, practical and actionable strategy that reflects both economic factors and physical characteristics of the town centre precinct. Ultimately the aim of the strategy is to encourage and facilitate development in line with the rates of development occuring along the majority of the coastal areas of the region.

Where

The study area for this assessment has been defined as the Tweed Heads Town Centre. The study area is bounded by the QLD/NSW border (Boundary Street) to the north, The Tweed River to the east, Dixon Street to the west and Florence Street to the south. It also included the area east of Wharf Street between Brett and Florence Streets (The Civic, University and Hospital precinct).

Who

	The State Government is helping to develop a masterplan for Tweed Heads to re–establish the CBD as the economic and cultural centre for the region. As a starting point a Taskforce was formed to review and direct investigations. The taskforce comprises a large number of State and Local Government bodies and local community organisation. The Taskforce includes, Mr Neville Newell – Chairman (Member of Tweed), Mr John Griffin – Co–Chair (Tweed Shire Council), Magdy Youssef (Project Manager), Steve Murray (DIPNR), Daniel O'Hare (Queensland University of Technology), Mr Trevor Wilson (DS&RD), Mr Gary Smith (Tweed Shire Council), Mr Tom Senti (Tweed Economic Development), Ms Jacqui Parry (Premiers), Ms Ronni Hoskinsson (Tweed Residents and Ratepayers Assoc), Mr Lee Eyre (Tweed Coolangatta Tourism Association), Mr Ray Weblin (Tweed Heads Chamber of Commerce) and Ms Julie Conlon (Coastal Council)
	Thomas consultants is a leader in market analysis, market feasibility studies and market–based strategic planning for property developments. Thomas Consultants Pty Ltd is the Australasian operation of Thomas Consultants and was established in Australia in 1986. Its first Australian project was feasibility studies and planning for various aspects of Sanctuary Cove Resort and since then, the company's scope has expanded to include retail, mixed use, tourism and residential projects throughout Australasia and Asia. Thomas Consultants undertake objective, independent assessments of market opportunity, and translates them into practical recommendations to developers and their consultants. Thomas Consultant's Services are founded on through market research, advanced analysis methodologies and decades of experience in the industry.
	PLACE is a multi–disciplinary design consultancy. PPD is wholly Australian owned and headquartered in Brisbane. The acronym PLACE signifies Planning, Landscape, Attractions, Civic and Environment representing the professions of our milti–disciplinary company. The Planning and Environment teams provide a complete service, from start to finish for studies, reports, approvals and monitoring programs; through concpts, master plans, urban and regional strategies; for site specific and larger projects. The recipient of many awards from industry, institutional and professional bodies, the company prides itself on understanding client needs and providing individual and innovative solutions for each undertaking.
	Alan Midwood has over 40 years experience in the property development industry. Before establishing his own company in 1996, he was chairman of Directors of Rider Hunt Queensland Pty Ltd. For more than 25 years, Alan has produced the quarterly Queensland Investment report, an authoritative source of property information and trends in tourism, residential, accomodation and commercial development. Alan has focused primarily on tourism development opportunities and action plans.