A carpark in Surfers Paradise on Queensland’s Gold Coast will be demolished to create a new public open space area.
Around 850 public parking spaces will be retained underground at the Bruce Bishop Carpark in Beach Road after the above-ground structure is gone.
Gold Coast City Council said in a statement that the new open space would include almost a hectare of new lawns, gardens and a plaza.
It will complement the future Music Hall currently under development in the adjoining former transit centre building.
“The ageing above-ground section of the carpark was built almost four decades ago and has seen increased maintenance costs and safety concerns in recent times,” the Council said.
“To allow for demolition and construction to be undertaken safely the entire Bruce Bishop Carpark will temporarily close during the works.
“The five-level basement section is currently undergoing renewal works and will reopen in late 2027, weather permitting, with a new vehicle access from Remembrance Drive.”
The Councils said that, while parking would not be available onsite during the works, there were six other public car parking facilities within 600m of the site.
Division 10 Councillor Darren Taylor said the works would turn the space into “a more vibrant and welcoming place for people to gather”.
“After almost four decades, the above-ground carpark is nearing the end of its life, with increasing maintenance requirements and concerns around safety,” he said.
“Removing it creates the opportunity to unlock the site for new open space and future opportunities.”
The above-ground carpark has 504 parking spaces and an average occupancy of 20-30 percent on weekdays and 40-50 percent on weekends.
