Plan to revitalise Townsville CBD released

Plan to revitalise Townsville CBD releasedThe Property Council and the Townsville Chamber of Commerce have released a report outlining key steps for reinvigorating Townsville’s CBD and making it the vibrant heart of the region.The report, titled Townsville CBD Revitalisation, contains the outcomes of a workshop held in August at which 25 key stakeholders in the development and activation of the CBD discussed ways to facilitate the city’s revitalisation. It is supported by two action plans outlining the steps that need to be taken to secure the long-term future of Townsville’s CBD.The central aim of the workshop was to build on previous discussions about the CBD and establish a pathway to reaching a target of 30,000 people living and working in the CBD by 2030. All shareholders agreed that an increase in population is critical to the growth in activity required for a vibrant CBD.According to Chris Mountford, acting Queensland executive director of the Property Council, Townsville’s CBD offers several opportunities to undertake adaptive re-use projects that will be critical if the city is to reach 30,000 by 2030. He says Youth with a Mission has already conducted a refit of Townsville’s old TAFE site. And he says there is merit in the suggestion put forward by the Member for Townsville that the Department of Transport and Main Roads building be transformed into units.”These are the types of projects that will be vital in Townsville achieving its ‘30,000 by 2030’ goal,” he says. “Without a critical mass of people living in the city centre, we won’t see the shops, cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues necessary to gain momentum and provide the CBD with a point of difference from the suburbs.”The report identifies some of the obstacles Townsville will need to overcome to achieve its population target. Among them is the downturn in economic activity experienced in the past 12 months, which has hit the property industry hard. Commercial vacancy rates in the CBD are in the vicinity of 27 per cent and there is a large amount of unused or under-utilised commercial stock that is no longer fit for purpose.The report concludes that re-using buildings and facilities, reducing and limiting costs and focusing on economy-boosting projects are all required if Townsville is to be revitalised as hoped.