Sunshine Coast sporting, events hub recommended for council approval

A sporting and events precinct with capacity of up to 30,000 people is planned for the Sunshine Coast’s southern suburbs.

Sunshine Coast Councillors will on Thursday decide if they want to endorse the Honey Farm Road sporting precinct master plan.

A sporting and events precinct is planned for the Sunshine Coast's southern suburbs where the population is expected to boom by 126 per cent within 20 years.

The new Honey Farm Road Sport and Recreation master plan details a hub for outdoor and indoor sports and major events to be built near Corbould Park racecourse.

Sunshine Coast Councillors are urged to endorse the plan at Thursday's ordinary meeting to allow work to progress on the 75ha former caneland site.

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The Meridan Plains site was purchased by council in 2011 and its zoning was changed from rural to sport and recreation in 2014.

The master plan, released ahead of the council meeting, reveals the hub could feature four fields, two ovals - with a full size cricket and eight turf pitches, shared clubhouse, 1.8km criterium track, hardcourt and indoor sport precincts and youth activity areas.

It also features an event space with capacity for 30,000 people and fitness trail, wetlands, a disc golf course and a dog off leash park.

"The result is a plan that balances needs across a range of often conflicting interests, providing a framework for future development of the Precinct over an extended period of time so that ad hoc improvements are avoided," it said.

It took into account community feedback received from the draft plan released in 2020.

Of the 254 responses, 84 per cent were supportive of it, 10 per cent neutral and six per cent did not approve.

A council report on the plan said the project would be located in an area estimated to more than double in population.

It said the Urban A district - which takes in Caloundra, Kings Beach, Little Mountain, Caloundra West, Currimundi, Pelican Waters and surrounding suburbs - was estimated to have a population increase of 126 per cent taking it from 58,349 in 2016 to 131,835 in 2041.

The following year could see work rolled out on a shared clubhouse and the asphalting of roads and carparks.

If supported, work could start on the recreation park, fields and wetlands in 2022.

The shared clubhouse, roads and carparks would follow.

Here is what has been recommended for the site:

• four rectangular fields (full size football)

• two ovals (full size cricket with eight turf pitches) and cricket practice nets

• shared fields (four rectangular fields with one oval overlay)

• shared clubhouse

• a 1.8km criterium track with two smaller loops

• hardcourt precinct

• indoor sport and recreation centre

• youth activity area/plaza/bike, skate, ninja warrior/parkour, climbing wall)

• children's playground (all ability) adjoining a nature play area and open space

• open space and event space including a fitness trail

• wetlands and water bodies with nature trails

• area for disc golf course

• dog off-leash park

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Originally published as Sunshine Coast sporting, events hub recommended for council approval