Pimpama to get a new waste and recycling super centre to cater for Coast population boom
The City is getting a new $29 million super rubbish tip located off the Pacific Motorway. Find out the details.
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The City is get a new $29 million super rubbish tip located off the Pacific Motorway to cater for the fast growing northern population – but council must first ensure the protection of koalas.
The Gold Coast City Council site at 196 Old Pacific Highway, on the eastern side of the M1 at Pimpama heading north, is used for a green waste pad and includes a depot and go-kart racing track.
An officer’s report to Tuesday’s waste committee said much of the site, which was zoned open space, had been cleared for the green pad and leased area for the go-karts which would need to be relocated.
The extent of mapped koala habitat area which would be impacted by the project has been minimised to a cleared access corridor to the eastern lot, council officers said.
“Fauna crossing infrastructure has been planned for and will be designed appropriately to enable koalas to safely move through this impacted area,” officers said.
Waste committee chair Shelley Curtis said the waste and recycling centre would service the fast growing population at Pimpama and neighbouring Coomera.
“It has been officially designated as a waste recycling centre precinct, that was agreed to by council and has gone to state (government), that has been approved and we will now go back and amend the planning scheme and recognise that area,” Cr Curtis said.
Helensvale and Pacific Pines residents have been using the site to dump their green waste.
“It’s really important that we are addressing that phenomenal growth we are seeing in that area and making sure that we have recycling facilities available so we can improve our waste management in that area,” Cr Curtis said.
The City would attempt to make the environmental impact as “minimal as possible”.
Graphics provided in the report show a huge culvert to be built extending across the site.
Officers in the report said Pimpama waste centre would include a Recycle Street recycling and resource recovery hub, a green waste collection pad and mulching area.
Other features would be a construction and demolition yard, new site access and road configuration, administrative and operational facilities and a sustainability hub.
Council will now, after government approval, begin planning the hub in stages and start community consultation. Budgeting has been set aside for the design.
The first stage $3.2 million green organics pad expansion and Recycle Street installation is currently at detailed design stage and due to be started by July 2025.
Stage 2 costed at $25.5 million is scheduled to be delivered during 2026/27 financial year and include the relocation of the existing depot to a new, purpose built site on the eastern lot and expansion of recycling capabilities into the northern area of the site.
The City currently operates 12 waste and recycling centres but the nearest to new site are Helensvale, about 15km away and Jacobs Well about 8km from the Pimpama green pad.
City CEO Tim Baker this month had welcomed an AECOM report and said the council began implementation of several key recommendations in April after the leak was detected.
“The city is committed to rigorous and continual improvement across all areas, and we are committed to applying lessons learnt to prevent future incidents,” Mr Baker said.
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