Blue Heart project: Ninderry MP raises issues in state parliament
A state MP has raised landowners’ skyrocketing insurance concerns over a project involving 5000 hectares of agricultural land and flood plain in state parliament as the planning minister deferred the issue to the local council.
Sunshine Coast
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A Sunshine Coast MP has escalated concerns regarding the Blue Heart project to the state government during parliament.
The Blue Heart project encompasses 5000ha of agricultural land and flood plain north of the Maroochy River.
The initiative aims to ensure flood storage on the Maroochy River flood plain and is also a blue carbon pilot project.
However, a number of landowners have raised concerns about the Sunshine Coast Council’s community consultation process and skyrocketing insurance.
In December last year, Consolidated Properties Ltd confirmed it had sold Coolum West land it had earmarked for a Kelly Slater surf ranch to the council for $6m.
The council confirmed the sale, stating at the time the land was “secured” through the SEQ City Deal, which is a partnership between the council, federal government, state government and the Council of Mayors that allocated $35.5m to the Blue Heart initiative.
Ratepayer funds had, in fact, been used to secure the deal with “reimbursement” from the City Deal funding to occur later this year.
Member of Ninderry Dan Purdie said landowners had begun to contact his office regarding the concerns.
During parliament sittings yesterday, February 14, he put a question on notice regarding the Blue Heart project.
Mr Purdie asked why the project needed ratification in the southeast Queensland regional plan and how the inclusion in the plan would affect landowners the project encompasses.
He asked why the state government had allocated $7m for the project and what the funding would be used for.
Mr Purdie also said he had written to the Sunshine Coast Council and Steven Miles when he was still the Planning Minister to flag the concerns.
The new Planning Minister Meaghan Scanlon said, in a response last week, the council was the “lead” for the Blue Heart project and was communicating with landholders.
“I understand that council is currently preparing a new planning scheme which will be available for public consultation,” she said.
“I encourage your constituents to maintain discussions with the council about the Blue Heart project and actively participate in upcoming public consultation.”
She said, in regard to the zoning, that the Blue Heart boundary did not relate to an overlay or zoning in the council’s local planning scheme.
“Zoning changes to land require public consultation to comply with the Planning Act 2016,” Ms Scanlon said.
In 2020, the Blue Heart project received the Regional Innovation Project of the Year award at the Cities Power Partnership Climate Awards.
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