Private consortium proposes $250m mega health development next to new Tweed Hospital – The Echo

Paul Bibby

A private consortium is proposing to build a $250 million health and education development on farmland next to the new Tweed Valley Hospital in Cudgen.

If approved, the “Cudgen Connection” project would see a 5.7-hectare site of green land transformed into a major neighborhood with a new university campus, aged care facilities, housing for essential workers, a private hospital, a “medi-hotel” and allied health care.

There would also be a community center and farmers markets, as well as a koala research center.

But the proposal has already received a swift blow through the bows of Tweed Nationals MP Geoff Provest.

In a statement released today to coincide with the announcement of the proposed development, Mr Provest said: ‘Developers of new private development should reconsider their position if they believe they will be able to rezone all existing farmland of Kingscliff”.

“As we build a state-of-the-art healthcare facility in Cudgen, this should not be taken as a green light to concrete additional farmland in Cudgen. It’s not welcome.

“We are committed to protecting the remaining Cudgen farmland and that is what we are doing.”

Not to be discouraged, the joint partners behind the proposed development, Centuria Capital Group and Digital Infratech, said the Cudgen Connection would “help provide a self-sustaining health, education and community neighborhood with jobs and opportunities.” accommodation for essential workers on the Tweed coast….

“This is a significant opportunity to provide the Tweed community with its own healthcare services, educational facilities and job-creating infrastructure,” said Andrew Hemming, CEO of Centuria Healthcare.

“In particular, the COVID-related border closures have highlighted the need for a health and community district in the region rather than relying on Queensland services.”

Proponents say the Cudgen Connection would “create approximately 1,000 new long-term jobs in the health, education, training and service sectors and hundreds more in the design and construction phases on the Tweed coast”.

“It would also utilize world-class sustainability features, childcare facilities, community and public spaces and a children’s play area.”

There would also be a community center to house a center of excellence for koala research, run by the Koala Research Foundation Australia, a business incubator and non-profit organizations that focus on providing much needed services for young people, and in the areas of mental health and suicide prevention, as well as other services.

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