HIGH rises could soon dominate Tweed Heads under a new plan to bring
the coastal city in line with its Gold Coast neighbour Coolangatta.
The
quieter sibling of the twin towns could be revamped as part of a NSW
Government draft plan to transform the Tweed Heads CBD into a thriving
tourism hub by 2035.
Planning, Infrastructure and Lands Minister
Tony Kelly yesterday revealed the draft Tweed Cities Plan -- a 25-year
vision to create housing for 7000 people and an additional 3000 local
jobs.
The redevelopment vision has been touted as a significant
move forward for NSW's most northern city, as it is the first time
major city planning has been done by the Government outside Sydney,
Newcastle and Wollongong.
Mr Kelly said rising development costs
in other regional centres had led the Government to focus on the
potential of Tweed Heads.
"It's a significant move and recognises the importance of this area to the state's future growth," he said.
To
accommodate an expected surge in population to 78,147 by 2031,
developers would be allowed to build residential towers under an
extension of the height limit from 15 storeys to 24 storeys.
From
the skyline to the streets, the draft Tweed Cities Plan foreshadows a
major overhaul of north and south Tweed streetscapes, including a push
for alfresco dining spaces, wider pavements and cycleways through the
area.
Local landmarks will also be given a makeover, with Jack
Evans Boat Harbour to be transformed into a key South Bank-style
parkland and a regional history museum to be built into Flagstaff Hill.
Duranbah Beach will remain untouched but the park area will be improved to cater for high use during surf carnivals.