Southport – Nerang Street revitalisation project

  • Project typeBusiness & economic development
  • Project scheduleConcept planning & design: 2023
southport-street-festival.jpg

This project is designed to help revitalise Southport CBD through an upgrade of Nerang Street between Scarborough Street and Marine Parade.

The street is in the centre of Southport CBD and is an important connector between the CBD and the Broadwater Parklands.

Nerang Street has potential to become an ‘eat street’. It is has wide footpaths and is close to public transport and popular destinations including a major shopping centre.

This section of Nerang Street is a mix of commercial businesses, restaurants and educational providers. Some of the restaurants have licenced outdoor dining areas extending on to the footpath. The design and state of footpath in some parts of the street make it difficult to have outdoor dining. The footpath also has a dated brick surface and stormwater drainage will be reviewed.

Project details

  • Increased opportunities for outdoor dining via footpath level changes and improvements
  • New footpath finishes and treatments
  • Public seating areas and furniture
  • Safer pedestrian/vehicle environment
  • New decorative road treatment and distinctive parking bays
  • New street trees and garden planting, with feature walls around lush gardens
  • Improved decorative and tree feature lighting
  • Closed circuit television (CCTV)
  • Upgraded underground infrastructure – footpath stormwater and electrical
  • Create opportunity to establish new restaurants and cafés and a mix of commercial businesses
  • Create opportunity for more events and activations within the street

Draft place making plan

The draft Nerang Street place making plan concept is intended to enhance the current function of the space and achieve the best use of the generous footpath width and existing infrastructure creating a safer, more active public open space.

Existing street functions include:

  • dining and take away
  • events (major and smaller events)
  • retail and commercial
  • education.

Using feedback from local business leaders and external assessments, the vision intends to:

  • define areas for additional on street dining to create business opportunities and events
  • address existing path levels and refine both the pedestrian and road surface treatment
  • create activation opportunities (which can add to increased passive surveillance)
  • strengthen the amenity and connections to the Broadwater and CBD visually
  • improved space for families, visitors and locals
  • enrich the landscape planting palette with garden beds and additional trees
  • enhanced lighting (decorative and amenity)
  • retain and define on-street parking
  • update existing street furniture
  • introduce public art opportunities.

Draft Nerang Street place making concept(PDF, 2MB)

Project timeline

A table with two columns, first column describes date, second column describes stage of project.
Date Project stage
2022 Nerang Street was identified as needing a refresh, specifically footpaths and streetscapes.
November 2022 Business Leadership Working Group Meeting 1 was conducted with local industry and street traders. The meeting included a recap of the first master plan, project outcomes, an economic baseline update from RPS, and comparison between the original data from 2015 and activities undertaken to gain insight and feedback specific to the precinct and priority areas.
Early to mid 2023 First draft concept design intent completed for comment and feedback with business traders. City Place Making and Councillor Patterson to engage direct with local business owners and traders to provide an update and direction on design intent and potential outcomes for the street.
Early 2024 Place Making Plan update completed and to be presented to stakeholders and Council.

Area of works

Contact details

City Place Making
07 5582 8065
CPM@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
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