Agents optimistic about Beerwah East's potential

A MASSIVE urban development likely to kick off next door to Jasmine Ruhle's home town has her optimistic about the potential boost more people will bring.

MIXED FEELINGS: Raine and Horne Beerwah sales representative Jasmine Ruhle says the development of Beerwah East could bring more people and business to town. Picture: Stuart Cumming

A MASSIVE urban development likely to kick off next door to Jasmine Ruhle's home town has her optimistic about the potential boost more people will bring.

But at the same time she is worried about the effect 20,000 new homes will have on Beerwah's peaceful atmosphere.

Beerwah East has been slated in the State Government's south-east Queensland regional plan as a major expansion area during the next 25 years.

ShapingSEQ, released earlier this month, predicts there will be 13,000 new homes in the area currently filled with forestry and farming operations.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson has the number at 20,000.

Either way, Miss Ruhle said she could see positives and negatives for the planned expansion.

She has lived in Beerwah for the past 17 years, currently working as a real estate agent.

"It (Beerwah) has grown,” Miss Ruhle said.

"There are a lot more people here for sure.”

She said the town's housing was becoming increasingly compact, which appealed to investors but not all residents.

"A lot of the older people who are used to having a few acres for themselves, they are looking at that in a negative light.”

She hoped road and rail infrastructure would be upgraded to cope with the influx of new residents before they arrived.

"A lot of people who have been living here for a long time don't want it to be too much bigger.

"I'd be living in Brisbane if I wanted to be living in Brisbane.

Agent Dan Clarke. Picture: Stuart Cumming

Fellow Beerwah real estate agent Dan Clarke said his industry had known about the potential development of Beerwah East for years.

Mr Clarke said block size would be key for any new estates.

"I think at the moment the massive demand is for land,” Mr Clarke said.

"I'd like to see some 1000sq m (or) 2000sq m blocks.

He said transport infrastructure was badly needed if Beerwah was going to maintain some its positive features.

"One of the major attractions for the Beerwah, Landsborough and Glass House area at the moment is we are not congested.

"Hopefully, with the demand (of Beerwah East), they will do something major.”