Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson responds to SEQ draft regional plan

New plans reveal the key growth suburbs across the Sunshine Coast to cater for the 80,000 additional homes needed for a forecast population boom by 2046.

Sunshine Coast Regional Council mayor Mark Jamieson has welcomed some aspects of the state government’s new SEQ regional plan. Picture: Sam Turner

From Maroochydore to Nambour the state government has highlighted key suburbs where additional dwellings should be built to cater for the Sunshine Coast’s growing population.

Deputy premier Steven Miles released the draft South East Queensland Regional Plan on Wednesday, which provides councils a development planning direction to help meet population growth.

According to the plan the Sunshine Coast region will need an additional 80,600 homes by 2046, highlighting Maroochydore as the region’s principal activity centre followed by Nambour, Kawana, Beerwah, Caloundra and Sippy Downs.

The plan highlights diverse housing situated around these key areas, including higher density dwellings, to be critical for housing affordability in the region.

An artist’s impression of the future Maroochydore City Centre.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said while he welcomed the updated plan, which incorporated the increased population predictions, more needed to be done to curb urban sprawl.

“The deputy premier is correct, we do need more housing supply and much greater diversity in housing options,” Mr Jamieson said.

“On the Sunshine Coast we will need a further 80,000 homes by 2046 so the question is how can we meet this challenge to create homes for our growing population and at the same time protect our enviable lifestyle and precious natural environments.”

The future of Halls Creek as a potential housing development site remains unclear.

The state government highlighted Halls Creek as a potential future growth area despite recent backlash from the council.

The Stockland-owned Halls Creek is mostly cleared land adjacent to and about half the size of its Caloundra South community, which will eventually be home to 50,000 people.

In July, Stockland applied for independent environmental approval from the federal government for its 1230ha of former pine land.

Mr Jamieson said the growth must be contained to the existing development areas including in Beerwah East, Maroochydore and Kawana town centres, rather than expanding into Halls Creek - near Caloundra South.

“We will continue to advocate strongly that there be no further expansion of the urban footprint in the Sunshine Coast area in the amended regional plan,” Mr Jamieson said.

“Council has been clear and consistent in its opposition to the developments of Halls Creek and will continue to advocate for it to be included in the protected regional interurban break.”

Stockland general manager David Laner welcomed the state government’s draft plan and the classifications of Halls Creek as a future growth area, adding the company had conducted environmental studies on the site that found it was adequate for development.

Sunshine Coast Business Council chair Sandy Zubrinich.

“Much of Aura South is elevated, already cleared and has easy access to Aura’s existing and committed infrastructure which includes transport networks, cycleways, parks, schools, and community facilities,” Mr Laner said.

“Stockland has lodged an application with the federal government to have the Aura South site assessed for independent and scientific approval, as the first step.”

Sunshine Coast Business Council chair Sandy Zubrinich said she agreed with the state government and Stockland on the Halls Creek development because it was needed to meet the housing target.

“Our position with Sunshine Coast Council has been that if Halls Creek, (also known as Aura South), is not retained as a potential future growth area, then what other option will replace it, given Beerwah East is insufficient to provide for projected growth,” Ms Zubrinich said.

The plan also outlines the need for future developments to include more high-rise dwellings, with Mr Jamieson emphasising these projects were not to be built in “critical areas such as our foreshores”, rather around transportation areas.