The GPT mall site could become a new university campus or council administration centre under plans being raised to maximise the value of the consolidated inner-city site.
A push to keep the site together was one of the themes to emerge from yesterday’s round-table talks on urban rejuvenation, hosted at Noahs on the Beach by Newcastle MP and Minister for the Hunter Jodi McKay.
With GPT axing its Newcastle plan, various business leaders have told the Newcastle Herald that post-GPT planning should concentrate on making the best use of a rare opportunity to redevelop such a large consolidated site.
Asked about this after yesterday’s forum, Ms McKay said preliminary talks were under way with GPT to see if the site could be kept together.
A university campus had been one suggestion, while Newcastle councillor Nuatali Nelmes said the council was already looking at the site – or a major part of it – as a new home for its administration centre.
A spokeswoman for GPT said it was open to all suggestions for selling the land and while pulling out of Newcastle was not the outcome it wanted, GPT was a major player in the region and was aware of its responsibilities.
‘About 90 people attended yesterday afternoon’s planning round-table talks, mostly taken up with Ms McKay and Newcastle City Council’s general manager Lindy Hyam recounting lists of government and council achievements for Newcastle.
Ms McKay confirmed that the government supported light rail for Newcastle but she agreed with Newcastle councillor Aaron Buman that it was worth considering Hunter Street rather than the existing rail corridor as a place for the tracks.
She said Newcastle people were ‘‘good at talking to ourselves’’ about our issues but needed to take the message of Newcastle’s opportunities to a wider audience, which was why she was hosting a Hunter investment forum in Sydney in coming weeks.
Hunter Business Chamber chief executive Peter Shinnick told the gathering he excised Ms McKay from his criticisms but the state government had done ‘‘nothing to show a financial commitment to Newcastle’’.
‘‘We need to stay positive about this but the key issue that did not come out of today is this: what is the state government going to do to compensate the city for the fact that we’ve lost $600million in investment because Macquarie Street couldn’t make a decision?’’ Mr Shinnick said.
‘‘Business is an essential partner with government in any changes to attract investment to the region,’’ Mr Shinnick said.
Liberal Port Stephens MP Craig Baumann said the forum was a farce.
“The fact that only one local Labor MP, Matthew Morris, attended the meeting speaks volumes,’’ Mr Baumann said.
‘‘It was rushed, disorganised and, frankly, a waste of time.”
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