ResidentialLindsay SaundersThu 04 Jun 26
Gold Coast Searches for Nerang Urban Renewal Developer
The former Nerang civic centre site has moved a step closer to redevelopment after the City of Gold Coast backed plans for a major mixed-use precinct that could deliver new housing, community facilities and investment into the heart of the suburb.
Gold Coast City Councillors have endorsed progressing the redevelopment of the Nerang Administration Precinct, a large holding of city-owned land that includes the former Nerang Administration Centre, the Bicentennial Building and the former Town and Country hotel site.
The decision clears the way for a market process to find development partners capable of transforming the underutilised land into a new mixed-use neighbourhood while delivering a significant package of community infrastructure.
At the centre of the proposal is the planned Hinterland Gateway Community Hub, a new civic facility that would consolidate a range of community services and public amenities.
Plans include an auditorium, library, community meeting rooms, learning facilities and performance spaces, creating a modern community focal point for Nerang and the wider hinterland region.
The hub is also intended to serve a dual purpose as an evacuation centre during natural disasters, providing a resilient piece of public infrastructure in a region that regularly experiences severe weather events.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the project was an opportunity to unlock housing and investment while delivering facilities needed by a growing population.
“We recognise the potential of this project to support housing diversity including key worker housing, attract investment and deliver contemporary community facilities that residents will need as the region continues to grow,” Tate said.
The council is proposing a partnership model under which private sector developers would deliver the community facilities as part of a broader redevelopment outcome. In return, development rights would be granted over portions of the site for a council-approved mixed-use project.
Tate said the redevelopment would strengthen Nerang’s position as the gateway to the Gold Coast hinterland and provide facilities designed to meet future community needs.
Environmental considerations are also expected to play a significant role in the project. The city has committed to retaining and enhancing biodiversity corridors across the site, while identified koala habitat areas will be protected in accordance with planning requirements.
The project is being jointly led by the City of Gold Coast and its commercial advisory arm, Invest Gold Coast, which will oversee the market engagement process.
The formal search for development partners is expected to begin next month.
