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News Release

DIANE BEAMER

MINISTER FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE, MINISTER FOR WESTERN SYDNEY ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING MEMBER FOR MULGOA

10 January 2005

TWEED ULTIMA DEVELOPMENT TO REVITALISE TWEED HEADS

Assistant Planning Minister, Diane Beamer, has approved the $44 million Tweed Ultima development, heralding significant new investment and jobs growth for Tweed Heads.

The 227 room tourist/residential development in the Town Centre will include car parking, retail space, restaurant and bar, gymnasium and conference facilities, but will be subject to stringent conditions to ensure the local amenity is protected.

"The developer has paid attention to the Government's planning guidelines and to the input of the local community, revising earlier designs to produce a better result", Ms Beamer said.

"Following public exhibition and assessment of the development application, the proposal's visual bulk and overshadowing were reduced and its design quality significantly improved. The new development will offer a lower and more elegant design.

"This project represents a new standard of building for the Tweed Heads region," Ms Beamer said.

The development is a huge vote of confidence in the Tweed Heads community and represents an important investment which will create 40 construction jobs over the next three years", Member for Tweed, Neville Newell said.

"Tweed Ultima will help to build on the current strengths of the local area such as retail and entertainment facilities, while also injecting new life into the town centre", he said.

"This commitment by both the Government and the developer here will provide a point of reference for future development.

More than 100 conditions have been imposed on the development including:

• construction management conditions to minimise the impact on the environment, including noise, vibration, sediment control, waste, hours of work and truck movements;
• design conditions in regard to reflectivity, outdoor lighting and to ensure energy efficient fixtures are used;
• de-watering procedures and soil protection;
• safe vehicle, pedestrian and disabled access during construction; and
• dust minimisation.

The development's design objectives and amenity were outlined in the Tweed Heads Town Centre Masterplan, commissioned by the NSW Government in June 2002 as part of an overall Development Strategy to revitalise the town centre and surrounding areas.

"The development will have a very positive social impact by providing additional housing for residential and tourist purposes", Ms Beamer said.

Media Inquiries: Neville Newell (07) 5523 4816 or Michael Meagher 02 92284130 (Minister Beamer's office)