Kawana Waters development: Industrial area proposal revealed

Industrial areas near Sunshine Coast stadium on prime real estate with ocean views could be turned into residential despite a shortage for commercial land. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Streets of industrial land could be transformed into residential and visitor accommodation sites as Sunshine Coast Council eyes prime real estate to house the region’s growing population.

Amid an industrial land shortage the council is considering transitioning all or parts of the Kawana industrial area, including Production Ave, into a multi-use area with a focus on residential.

Meanwhile it proposes to identify “major new areas” of industrial land at Beerwah and Beerwah East.

The concept was revealed in the proposed local area plan for Kawana Waters, released as part of early consultation for the 2024 planning scheme.

Consultation closed on March 31 but residents will be able to have their say on the planning scheme again when a draft is released.

The council said any decision on the future of the industrial area would be subject to community consultation.

Councillor Joe Natoli, pictured with protesters against light rail, wants more information on the council’s investigations into the future use of the Kawana industrial area. Picture: Tegan Annett

Divisional councillor Joe Natoli worried where the businesses would go if the area was changed due to the region’s industrial land shortage.

He said he suspected changes at the industrial area amid Kawana being a key location for a new mass transit system.

“Before council can even consider closing that area down to industrial uses we need to ensure there is other industrial land ready to go,” he said.

“I’d like to hear from those businesses in particular on what their thoughts are about the possibility of it being transitioned into mixed use residential rather than an industrial space.”

The document said changes to the industrial area were being considered, particularly at Production Ave due to its proximity to the stadium and Mooloolah River.

It said the council would consider transitioning all or part of the industrial area to a “wider mix of uses” in the longer term to support the Sunshine Coast Stadium precinct, ranging from visitor accommodation and housing to indoor sport and recreation.

Funding was not included for the $68m project in this year’s federal budget however Fairfax MP Ted O’Brien said it could receive support under a 2032 Olympics deal.

Friends of Buddina group member Lesley Dimmock said she held concerns with overdevelopment of Kawana.

She said one map in the council’s documents for proposed changes showed “no industrial land remaining” within the area.

“It is shown as rezoned and mapped as ‘coastal living area’,” she said.

A council spokesman said decisions on the future of the industrial area were subject to feedback.

“If there were an intention to initiate this land use transition through the new planning scheme, this would be subject to further community consultation,” he said.

He said the supply and use of industrial land was identified as a “hot planning topic” so residents could have their say directly on the issue.

The council‘s fact sheet on the supply and use of industrial land said the new scheme proposed to “ensure the protection of most existing industry zoned land for industrial uses”.

It said it would investigate other areas for industry purposes and highlighted Beerwah and Beerwah East as potential locations.

Mayor Mark Jamieson said it would take “many months” for the council to review the large volume of submissions on the proposed directions for the new scheme.

“We wanted to hear what was important to our community so their views could help shape our future plans, well before any detailed drafting of the new planning scheme begins,” he said.

“Through careful planning, and in partnership with our community, council aims to protect the places we love, preserve our natural environment, maintain the lifestyle we enjoy and shape the built environment to support the region’s future.”

“We know people love living here on the Sunshine Coast and thanks to this feedback, we will soon have a much clearer picture of what our region’s residents want the Sunshine Coast region to look like in 2041.”

Mr Natoli hoped businesses and residents would get involved in the process to ensure it was a balanced planning scheme.

“I’m hoping that through consultation we will make it easy for people to understand this and comment on it,” he said.

“Too often planning schemes have very interested parties that are predominantly associated with the property and development industry and they are the groups who drive change.”