The Gold Coast at this time had not yet established one CBD district. As the council Planning and Development Committee chairman, Alderman Lawlor lad a plan for Southport to become a future CBD heartland of the Gold Coast which would be supported by regional district and local centres appropriately located throughout the urban area. At the time 159 ha of the 317 ha of zoned commercial land in Southport was vacant. Council lobbied for the creation of a state government precinct in Southport.