The Robina/Varsity Future: ‘It Doesn’t Come Any Better’ – Bernard Salt

“

When you take stock of the Gold Coast today, there are very few regions that can match Robina/Varsity’s capacity for growth and expansion.

“When you take stock of the Gold Coast today, there are very few regions that can match Robina/Varsity’s capacity for growth and expansion – or its ability to provide diversity of housing and workspaces – with 50 hectares of approved developable land and a raft of key infrastructure and services already in place.

“This existing infrastructure will prove to be Robina/Varsity’s greatest asset, because future density requirements will effectively prohibit the development of new super regional shopping centres like Robina Town Centre, or universities on a similar scale to Bond – which is one of the fastest growing universities in Australia – forecast to grow by 125% by 2050. There will be no more. This is it.

“All the housing, the shops, the jobs, the health and other city centre infrastructure that pertains to the middle of the Gold Coast urban form will hold fast to the centrally located Robina/Varsity precinct.

“I am a believer in the Gold Coast. I am an optimist about the Gold Coast. Here is a place willed into existence by the Australian people and whose future growth is both assured and channelled by planning into an elongated urban form. With Robina in the middle. It doesn’t come any better for a locality.”

“

Mr Salt says planned infrastructure, including light and heavy rail links to connect Robina/ Varsity to the beaches and Gold Coast Airport will enhance Gold Coast City’s bid to become a ‘world city.’

Mr Salt says planned infrastructure, including light and heavy rail links to connect Robina/ Varsity to the beaches and Gold Coast Airport will enhance Gold Coast City’s bid to become a ‘world city.’

“Robina/ Varsity is only 15 minutes from the airport, which offers a growing list of flight paths to major cities around the world, so it makes sense to offer a direct route to CBDRobina, considering its existing resources and potential for growth.

“Once this connection is complete, Robina/Varsity will have all the scaffolding in place to build on future population growth and be a major economic centre and a hub for employment creation.

In fact, Robina/Varsity lakes will be the highest contributor to the economic growth of Gold Coast City, with a projected $5.4 billion contribution, or 24.6% of the city’s Gross Regional Product Growth to 2050.”

Mr Salt says Robina/Varsity is ideally placed to offer the right mix of jobs and services to suit Gold Coast City’s changing demographic.

“Keeping pace with growth is important, but there’s a competitive advantage for regions that are also able to keep pace with change,” Mr Salt said.

“Demographic modelling suggests that between 2014 – 2024, there will be a huge spike in the number of aged people living in Gold Coast City (70 – 85 years), along with a sharp increase in the number of young teens (10 – 14 years) and young professionals (30-39 years).

“Research shows the major growth areas for employment in Gold Coast City over the past 15 years have been healthcare (700,000 new jobs) and professional services and sciences (400,000 new jobs), and this trend is expected to continue in line with the city’s demographic shift.

“Robina/Varsity’s health and knowledge precinct – including two major hospitals (and a third under construction), specialist medical practices and seven research centres – will provide a platform for Gold Coast City to continue to expand its services in these sectors to meet the needs of the future population.”