Game Changers
Maximum Opportunity is the Property Council of Australia’s policy response to UrbanGrowth NSW’s opportunities for Revitalising Newcastle.
Designed by our Transforming Newcastle Taskforce – a local industry brains trust – Maximum Opportunity represents an ambitious blueprint for urban transformation.
It is now a little over 2 months since Maximum Opportunity was launched and in that time, dozens of personal conversations have taken place to explain the guiding principles and the “Game Changers”.
Most of those conversations have been with individuals and groups that, over the years, have viewed the Property Council with suspicion at best and as the devil incarnate at worst.
Without exception, those conversations have been positive.
Without exception, those we’ve spoken to have praised Maximum Opportunity for its vision and pragmatism.
NSW Premier Mike Baird has been briefed and thanked the Property Council for the thought leadership contained in Maximum Opportunity at the sold-out December Hunter Lunch.
With the principles of Maximum Opportunity in mind – aspiration, ambition, and innovation – we start 2016 focussed on converting the strategic thinking behind two of the Game Changers into policy certainty:
- A new City Edge
- A new Urban Icon
In unison, these Game Changers create an iconic attraction that anchors Newcastle City Centre as a global destination.
Establishing the new city edge is easily achieved by realigning Wharf Road with Scott Street at Queens Wharf. The effect is to unlock the potential for the heritage listed Newcastle Railway Station to be repurposed as an iconic landmark building stepping down to the waterfront.
These are now first-order priorities for industry in the final planning proposal for revitalising Newcastle.
A working group including Taskforce members has been convened for mid-February and the campaign for Newcastle’s Game Changers is underway.