Part 2 Town Centre Development Strategy

2.2 Proposed Roles and Functions of the Tweed Heads Town Centre

Through assessment of the existing characteristics of Tweed Heads, the characteristics of successful town centres and the objectives of key stakeholders, the following key roles and functions have been identified for the Tweed Heads town centre:

• Provide a multi-function community focal point that a large number of people will use regularly
  Tweed Heads lacks a single location that brings together a variety of commercial and community uses and functions as a hub of social interaction. As a result, the precinct does not have a geographic centre or a social heart, both of which are essential to creating a sense of place and defining the character of the community. In the absence of any reasonable alternative, Tweed Mall by default acts to some extent as a community focus, but it essentially has a single function, is not in the public realm, and is only accessible for certain hours of the day. While its retail facilities and the patronage it generates are an important component of the Town centre, Tweed Mall cannot in itself be a town centre.
• Broaden the demographic mix of residents in the town centre area
  The town centre precinct is dominated by residents aged 65 +, with almost three times the proportion found in the Gold Coast-Tweed region overall. Conversely, it has very low proportions of the demographic groups that support and contribute substantially to economic and social activities in any community, including the employed, students, families with dependent children, and households with significant disposable incomes.
• Increase the number of people living in the heart of the town centre
  Local residents generate economic and social activity, and they instill a sense of community ownership. The approximate 2,300 current residents of the town centre are insufficient to generate significant local economic activity. For example the total town centre precinct resident population is less than one quarter of the number typically needed to support a single supermarket. Their average per capita incomes are slightly below the Gold Coast Tweed region average and 22% below the average in the Sydney region. Furthermore, the existing town centre population is highly dispersed, so the limited economic and social activity generated is also dispersed to numerous locations, many of which are outside the town centre precinct.
• Provide residences that are complementary to Coolangatta beachfront residences
  Current accommodation in the Tweed Heads-Coolangatta region is dominated by tourist accommodation near the beach, and units that appeal mainly to retirees in the Tweed Heads town centre area. There is minimal provision of accommodation targeting working age residents, students or families.
• Link existing major nodes to the town centre
  The Town centre precinct incorporates several major commercial facilities (most notably Tweed Mall, Twin Towns and the Bowls Club) that together generate an estimated eight million annual visits. However, these nodes are substantially dispersed and inwardly focussed. It will be important to ensure that these existing patrons also visit the town centre in the course of trips to the other facilities.
• Highlight and integrate key attractions
  The waterfront at Jack Evans Boatharbour and adjacent park are seen as a significant potential attraction for visitors and residents alike. They are presently under-utilised, particularly by tourists.
• Link to Griffith Street, Coolangatta
  After a recent revitalisation, Griffith Street is an increasingly successful high street in its own right, catering to both local residents and visitors. A complementary commercial node linked to Griffith Street creates the potential for the Coolangatta and Tweed Heads tour centre to be perceived and to function as a single central business district, collectively providing more retail, commercial and accommodation facilities than either precinct could offer on its own. The location and characteristics of Tweed Heads also lends itself to complementary commercial and accommodation facilities (for example, appealing more to residents and longer-stay visitors than Coolangatta), thereby complementing the characteristics of Coolangatta. Together the two precincts functioning together would provide the increased variety and critical mass to make them a more competitive destination.
• Increase the number of visitors staying in the town centre
  Accommodation in the Tweed Town centre area does not enjoy the beach views or proximity offered by units on or near the Esplanade in Coolangatta. Motels along Wharf Street generally offer lower rates than their beachfront counterparts, and consequently appeal to budget tourists and some commercial travellers. It is estimated that they still suffer from relatively low occupancy.
• Concentrate facilities in one location
  A concentration of facilities creates critical amass and heightens activity, both of which contribute to attracting more people.