Future development of the Gold Coast Hospital site at Southport:

• What is the Gold Coast Hospital site project?

  The Gold Coast Hospital site project refers to the redevelopment of the current Gold Coast Hospital site located at Southport. Health services from this site will be moved in early 2013 to the new Gold Coast University Hospital currently under construction, providing opportunity for the redevelopment of the existing site.

• Why is the Gold Coast Hospital moving?

  Health service planning identified the need for expanded health services for the Gold Coast community. The current Gold Coast Hospital is restricted within a 3.5 hectare block and therefore could not be expanded to accommodate future needs. With a 20 hectare requirement to build a new hospital, a parcel of land was identified on Parklands Drive in Southport and a decision by the Queensland Government in 2006 to build the $1.76 billion Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) was made. GCUH will commence health services in 2013.

• Who is running the project?

  Department of Local Government and Planning is leading the project, which is a joint venture with Queensland Health, Gold Coast City Council and the Southport Chamber of Commerce.

• How big is the site?

  The Gold Coast Hospital site is about 3.5 hectares comprising the triangle of land bounded by Queen Street, Nerang Street and Little High Street. The portion of land between Little High Street and High Street has been included for the purposes of the planning exercise to provide some context. While Queensland Health owns much of this portion, there are also a number of private landowners so any redevelopment of this portion would be subject to negotiations with owners. It is intended that the health services in this portion will be retained. View the locality map of the Gold Coast Hospital site ( 128 KB)

• Why redevelop the site?

  This is a key site in the heart of the city's major business centre and its redevelopment has the potential to bring new life to Southport. Planning today for the site's future will ensure any development can address local needs and provide economic and social benefits for Southport and the wider Gold Coast community. It will also ensure the site is not left vacant for an extended period. The Gold Coast Hospital site is in a key location due to its proximity to the Gold Coast Rapid Transit (GCRT) route and the adjacent future GCRT station on Nerang Street. This could add a valuable new asset to the area and bring significant economic benefits to the whole coast for years to come.

• What is the site going to be used for?

  The Queensland Government is seeking feedback on what the site should be used for and what future development should look like. The ideas put forward to date range from refurbishing the existing buildings and adding other low rise development, to clearing the site and starting from scratch. Nothing has been decided at this stage; these are just initial ideas to generate discussion about the future of the site.

• When will the redevelopment happen?

  Planning for the site should be completed by mid 2012. It is anticipated that the Gold Coast Hospital site will be vacated in early 2013 once facilities move to the new Gold Coast University Hospital.

  The site will then be released on the open market and construction could commence as early as 2014, depending on market conditions.

• How can I have my say?

  It is vital that the community has input into how the site is developed in the future. Phase one of community consultation has now closed, and phase two will commence soon with further opportunity for community input.

  You can still contact the department about this project by:

  • Emailing your feedback to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • Calling 1800 093 903 (free-call) during business hours Monday - Friday

  To be kept up-to-date on the project and alerted of any future consultation activities, you can sign up to our project stakeholder list. Just fill in your details in the 'Subscribe for updates' section on the right hand side of this page.

• Who is being consulted on this project?

  The local community and the wider Gold Coast community are being consulted on the project. A range of consultation activities will occur throughout the project to get as much feedback as possible.

• What will happen with my feedback?

  Information gathered from the community will be used to help inform the future redevelopment of the Gold Coast Hospital site. All feedback submitted will be formally lodged with the department and reviewed by project officers. Updates via media and the website will then be provided throughout the project to highlight what feedback has been received and the outcomes of this advice.