FAQ

A Priority Development Area (PDA) is a site declared by the State Government to facilitate the development of land in Queensland for economic development and development for community purposes.  

When a PDA is declared the Local Government planning scheme no longer applies and a new planning instrument, known as an Interim Land Use Plan becomes effective and is used to assess development until a development scheme is adopted.

The Southport Priority Development Area (PDA) is located over the existing Southport Central Business District (CBD) and includes the former Gold Coast hospital site, Broadwater Parklands and residential areas located directly north of Railway Street and south of Queen Street. The PDA contains a diverse mix of uses centred around Nerang and Scarborough Streets and includes retail, commercial, financial, educational, legal and community uses, while the residential areas offer a diversity of dwelling type and size.  

The PDA has an area of approximately 195.7 hectares.

View and download the Priority Development Area Boundary Map.

Southport is the traditional centre of the Gold Coast focused on knowledge based employment, regional government administration, medical, retail and commercial as well as regional community, recreation facilities. Southport has always been the pre-eminent centre of the city with the highest concentration of employment with the largest share of office space (149,240m2), attracting a workforce of 24,857 people. Southport is the most populated centre in the city with a resident population of 28,315.  

Declaration as a Priority Development Area provides the opportunity to facilitate development, remove barriers and encourage flexibility and innovation. This will support the growth and advancement of Southport as the Central Business District of the Gold Coast.

The City of Gold Coast (the City) has prepared a proposed development scheme for the Priority Development Area (PDA).  This will include community engagement. The City will also be responsible for assessing development applications within the PDA.

Until a Southport Priority Development Area (PDA) development scheme is finalised, development within the PDA is regulated under the Southport Interim Land Use Plan (ILUP). The ILUP allows for some development and early works on key sites to occur while also ensuring that future development opportunities in the PDA are protected from incompatible land uses.

Download the Interim Land Use Plan(External link) or contact DSDIP and the City of Gold Coast (the City) via email at edq@dsdip.qld.gov.au(External link) or by telephone 07 5582 8083.

The Southport Priority Development Area (PDA) Proposed Development Scheme will be the planning document which sets out the land uses, development criteria and infrastructure envisaged for the Southport PDA.

Now that the proposed development scheme has been prepared, the City of Gold Coast is required to undertake public notification to advise the community of the future plans for the PDA. This provides an opportunity for the public to have its say.

The Southport Priority Development Area Proposed Development Scheme will be on public notification for 30 business days commencing on Monday 7 April and closing on Thursday 22 May 2014.

During this period all interested parties including the community, stakeholders, residents and local business operators are invited to view the proposed development scheme and make a written submission for consideration by the City.

Submissions can be made to the City in a variety of ways outlined below:

Online - gchaveyoursay.com.au

Email - mail@cityofgoldcoast.com.au

Mail - Mr Dale Dickson, Chief Executive Officer, City of Gold Coast, PO Box 5042, Gold Coast MC QLD 9729

Once the public notification period closes the City of Gold Coast (the City) will review and consider all submissions received. The City will then prepare a submissions report identifying the issues and how they have been addressed and what changes have been recommended to the Proposed Development Scheme.  

After any changes have been made to the Proposed Development Scheme, the scheme accompanied by the submissions report will be submitted to the Queensland Government for review and approval.  These documents will be made available on the Economic Development Queensland  and City of Gold Coast websites.

Under the Economic Development Act 2012, the Interim Land Use Plan (ILUP) will expire 12 months from the date it commences. As a result, this allows up to 12 months to finalise the development scheme. Until a development scheme is finalised, development within the Priority Development Area is regulated under the ILUP.

Download the Interim Land Use Plan or contact Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning via email at edq@dsdip.qld.gov.au or by telephone 07 5582 8083.

The delivery of infrastructure is a key component to facilitating development within Priority Development Areas (PDA) and ensuring adequate funding for this infrastructure is vital.

Various processes exist which allow the City of Gold Coast (the City) to require infrastructure funding from parties undertaking development in the PDA. Other funding sources, such as external funding programs, may also be sought by the City to fund major works such as community facilities within the PDA.

When a Priority Development Area is declared development, applications already lodged with Local Government for the area continue to be assessed and decided by the Local Government under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 and the provisions of the relevant planning scheme.

Development applications over land within a Priority Development Area (PDA) are made to and assessed by the City of Gold Coast as a delegated entity, under the Interim Land Use Plan (or subsequently a development scheme) and the Economic Development Act 2012. Under this Act, the decision process generally occurs within 40 business days.

Development applications over land outside a PDA are made to and assessed by the local government authority under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 and the planning scheme.

Applications continue to be made under the Sustainable Planning Act, which provides for private certification.

When making a Priority Development Area (PDA) development application, the application will be assessed using the process set out in the Economic Development Act 2012 and against the Southport PDA Interim Land Use Plan (ILUP). While a Southport PDA development scheme is being drafted, the ILUP is the primary statutory tool which is used to assess development applications. The development scheme, when finalised, will supersede the ILUP in development assessment.

Following declaration, all development applications are required to be made to the City. Priority Development Area (PDA) application forms are available on the City website. The application forms are to be used for all new development applications within the Southport PDA.

The Southport Priority Development Area Proposed Development Scheme will be on public notification for 30 business days commencing on Monday 7 April 2014 and closing on Thursday 22 May 2014.

During this period all interested parties including the community, residents, local business operators and State agencies are invited to view the proposed development scheme and make a written submission for consideration by the City of Gold Coast. To view the Southport PDA Proposed Development Scheme and make a submission visit gchaveyoursay.com.au/southportpda.

In some circumstances, development applications may require public notification, as determined by a proposal’s size or nature in relation to adjoining property.

The State Government has recently repealed the Community Infrastructure Designation repealed over the former Gold Coast Hospital site. Under the Proposed Development Scheme the site is within Precinct 1 of the PDA, identified as the Central Business District. The site is suitable for development subject to Precinct 1 provisions under the Proposed Development Scheme with preferred land uses including commercial office space, high residential densities and high-end retail uses.

Promoting public transport and reducing car dependency and congestion is a key consideration in the planning for the Southport PDA as the Gold Coast CBD. The CBD Precinct is serviced by four (4) stations of the Gold Coast light rail, providing connections to the wider transport network.

Active travel, including walking and cycling, is also encouraged in the Southport PDA through safe and pleasant environments using appropriate lighting and landscaping.

Yes. The Southport PDA is a separate declaration to the Parklands PDA, a site previously declared by the State Government to support delivery of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games™ as the site for the Commonwealth Games Village.

The Southport PDA is identified as the Gold Coast CBD and will be a world-class centre for employment, community services, commerce and retail, while offering a diverse range of housing options and highly desirable lifestyle amenity.

Yes. The Southport PDA includes the new Gold Coast Aquatic Centre for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games™. This key piece of infrastructure is located in the Broadwater Parklands in Precinct 4 of the PDA.

The vision for the Southport PDA is to deliver the Gold Coast Central Business District (CBD). The CBD will be the definitive centre for commerce on the Gold Coast, attracting national and international investment through a streamlined and facilitated approach to development.

Southport will build on its economic, lifestyle and environmental opportunities to become a world-class centre and the Southport PDA will accommodate a diverse mix of land uses to help guide this. These will include; commercial office space, medium to high residential densities with a mix of dwelling sizes and types, high-end retail uses, small-scale neighbourhood and local services where appropriate and public open space.

Existing infrastructure investments will also be maximised such as the Gold Coast Chinatown, Gold Coast Light Rail, the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games™ and the Southport Broadwater Parklands.

Precinct 4 of the Southport PDA is dedicated to open space.  This will provide a connected network of functional and attractive open spaces and provide opportunities for passive and active recreation and sporting, cultural and civic events. Contributing to the overall amenity of the PDA, the Open Space Precinct includes the Southport Broadwater Parklands and opportunities for park and water-based recreation and leisure activities.