SPIT SITE BACK ON DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

THE State Government has today called for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) on a 5ha land parcel on the Gold Coast Spit, after it withdrew the initial bidding process in June 2010.

Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe, says the announcement marks the start of a competitive bidding process for the State Government-owned site, located between Sea World and the Versace Hotel.

The site is part of the 8.2ha area previously known as the Northern Development Area (NDA) under the former Gold Coast Marine Development (GCMD), where a series of delays had confused bidders.

Development options for the remainder of the state-owned land, which formed the GCMD, are not part of the current EOI process and will be considered in the future.

The State Government says initial bids ‘failed to meet its objectives’. Since then a number of unsolicited proposals have been received and interested parties are now invited to formally submit applications as part of the EOI process.

Hinchcliffe emphasised that the project would not propose any development east of Sea World Drive or at Doug Jennings Park.

"A competitive bidding process will now begin with all interested parties encouraged to submit their ideas prior to the March 4 deadline,” he says.

A number of Gold Coast developers are expected to again bid for the project, including The Deep Blue consortium, which includes Gold Coast City Marina and Leighton Holdings.

The deadline for EOI submissions is March 4 with a decision to be made by mid 2011.