Time For Change On The Gold Coast As Growth Rate Slides

Time For Change On The Gold Coast As Growth Rate Slides

Time For Change On The Gold Coast As Growth Rate Slides

ADC Congratulates Gold Coast’s new Mayor Tom Tate and looks forward to a new ‘can do’ attitude toward business and investment in the city.

The time for change on the Gold Coast was more important than ever with the city’s growth rate stalling – Read full article on sliding growth on the glitter strip below.

You don’t need to be Einstein to see that the Gold Coast has its problems. No cranes on the glitter strip reflects the greater problems of no jobs, increased crime and a lack of growth.

As families struggle to make ends meet, a “can do attitude” and leadership from the Gold Coast City Council is required. When compared with other Local Government Areas (LGAs) like Ipswich and Logan the Gold Coast is simply difficult to do business with. The election of the Gold Coast’s new Mayor is a great opportunity to change this. The difficulties in business arise due to overly complex planning regulation, time delays for approvals and local charges. For new businesses trying to establish on the Gold Coast infrastructure charges are prohibitive, turning new business and thus jobs away from the Gold Coast. Arnold Development Consultants has seen evidence of this for many years with new educational establishments, shopping centres, dance studios, and subdivisions being slugged with exorbitant charges that mean that many new businesses and investment ideas don’t even pass the due diligence phase. Business therefore has invested elsewhere in LGAs like Ipswich and Logan where there is an open door approach to new business and jobs.

With the election of the new Mayor and many freshly faced Councillors the opportunity for new ideas for business, development and jobs growth is real.

Full Article Below:

City’s Growth Rate Stalls

THE Gold Coast enjoyed the title of Queensland’s fastest growing city for years, with more than 18,000 people moving here each year at its peak..

But the love affair with the city has ended.

New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the Gold Coast has slumped behind Ipswich, Townsville, Moreton Bay, Mackay and Logan to be Queensland’s sixthfastest growing city.

The population growth rate the barometer of the health of the city ~ is at its slowest in 10 years.

The population stands at 536,480, with about 9600 people moving here last year, or half the number of new residents that relocated to the Coast at its growth peak in 2006.

Between 2001 and 2006, the city was the fastest growing urban centre in Queensland.

It led the development boom and the population swelled from 387,102 to 466,433.

During that time the city almost tripled the average Aust-ralian population growth rate of 1.4 per cent.

But the Coast is fast slid-ing down the ranks with a combination of factors, including lack of jobs, housing affordability, council and state gov-ernment charges and red tape, natu-ral disasters, brand and an p overwhelming lack of confidence all to blame.

The figures, taken from the past financial year, show there was an increase of just 1.8 per cent.

The region has been outstripped by development-friendly cities Ipswich and Logan, as well as Townsville and Mackay, which are benefiting from the resources boom.

In 2006, when cranes filled the skyline and people were heading to the northern corridor in droves, there was an increase of 18,205 people or almost 4 per cent.

The figures take into account births and deaths, as well as people who I I~’~ have left the city.

The disappointing 39~ numbers reflect a two-speed economy and a slow-down in local construction and development.

They fail to back up forecasts on the Gold Coast City Council website which says the population will grow by 13,000 to 16,000 people a year and by 2026, will house more than 730,000 residents.

“Housing affordability and jobs are without doubt the biggest reason,” Urban Development Institute of Australia Gold Coast and Logan boss, Steve Harrison, said.

“It’s a cycle. Without construction and development, there’s no jobs and people have to look elsewhere.” He said a slowdown in jobs led to crime and other social problems like divorce and the splitting of families in search of work.

Property consultant and analyst Kerrie Young said the city had lost its competitive advantage.

“This used to be … this was a vibrant place to come and buy a home and if you had any left over, buy a small business and see yourself into retirement,” she said.

“The kids could go to uni and work, but there’s no jobs.” Yeats Consultant Engineers part-ner Garth Osmond said Logan and Ipswich councils worked closely with developers to help ensure affordable development.

“(Gold Coast) Council is too hard to work with,” he said.

Source: Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin
General News, Page 4
7 April 2012
By Shannon Willoughby