After examining submissions for a new Queensland Australia superyacht marinas and commercial developments near Sea World on the Gold Coast since February last year, the Bligh Government this week rejected all proposals so far, saying they were not up to scratch.
The announcement alarmed Gold Coast building and construction industry leaders as they desperately try to salvage the superyacht marina project with emergency meetings next week. Some of the consortiums have spent more than $2 million on their submissions.
Australia's Gold Coast
Urban Development Institute of Australia Gold Coast vice-president Steve Harrison said the scrapping of plans to develop The Spit marine precinct came at the worst time — with figures showing the sector had lost 3006 jobs since the start of the year.
The plans by the two short-listed groups for 10.5ha of land next to Sea World included facil- ities for up to 30 superyachts and 400 recreational and fishing vessels, plus hotels and commercial and residential facilities.
Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe has previously said the projects would create more than 1000 jobs during the construction phase.Queensland Master Builders Gold Coast regional manager John Duncalfe said the number of people who would benefit from the marine project would be three times that.
He said the construction industry was already struggling and there was nothing to replace the few major projects under way when they came to conclusion.
The Deep Blue consortium, which includes Gold Coast City Marina and Leighton, tendered for the northern area, and Broadwater International consortium, including Watpac, tendered for the southern development area.
Members of the Deep Blue consortium yesterday revealed the group was fighting to keep the bid alive and would soon meet with the State Government to discuss its future.
Leighton Properties executive director Andrew Borger said the importance of the project was ‘enormous, not only economically for the Gold Coast region, but also for Queensland tourism’.
Gold Coast Superyacht Marina Stalled in Australia
“We are meeting with the Government to try to find a workable solution for the Northern Development Area,” he said.
Gold Coast City Marina owner Jeff Leigh-Smith said Deep Blue had the ‘experience and stability to deliver the major project’.
A Watpac spokesman said the members of Broadwater International consortium were disappointed by the news but remained optimistic the bid could be salvaged.
The State Government maintains that bids were rejected this week because they ‘failed to meet timeframes and did not adequately address specified criteria’.
