Maidment Group’s $500m MacKinnons Reach estate gets help from council
The council has backed in a new $500 million housing project to Townsville’s west, which will create 700 more lots to tackle the housing crisis. Find out where it will go.
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Another positive step has been taken towards alleviating NQ’s housing shortage, after Townsville City Council agreed to cut through red tape for a local property developer looking to connect its new estate to trunk infrastructure.
Townsville developer Maidment Group has begun work unlocking its upcoming $500 million estate MacKinnons Reach at 55 Lynam Rd, Gumlow.
Located outside the city’s Priority Infrastructure Area for water and sewer, the fully-approved 99 hectare greenfield site is set to host 700 housing lots when completed.
At Wednesday’s ordinary meeting of Townsville City Council, councillors weighed up whether Maidment should be eligible for infrastructure charge offsets to connect its estate to water and sewer infrastructure, estimated to cost $5.5 million.
Delivered in stages, the water connection would require the construction of the new water main in both council owned land and in Bowhunters Rd, connected by existing infrastructure in Beck Drive.
Sewerage infrastructure would also be delivered in stages, requiring two pump stations and a pressure main, connecting back to an existing council pressure main.
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of preparing and finalising an infrastructure agreement with Maidment to enable the development to proceed in a timely manner.
Acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney said the decision gave Maidment assurance that its development could proceed.
“The council decision resulted in trunk infrastructure investment for Mackinnon’s Reach being treated in the same way as trunk infrastructure investment in other urban growth areas that are adjacent to the existing serviced urban area,” Ms Greaney said.
“Council is pulling the levers we can to ensure housing lots are created more quickly in order to help create more housing stock to alleviate housing pressures in the region.”
Neighbouring the Little Bohle River, surrounded by established natural landscape and with no direct line of sight to existing development, MacKinnon’s Reach has block sizes which range from 400 sqm courtyard lots to premium lots over 1000 sqm.
Delighted with securing the council’s support to deliver trunk infrastructure, Maidment Group Managing Director Glen Maidment revealed that MacKinnon’s Reach would be formally released to market in July 2025.
“(The) decision by Council is a green light for the MacKinnon’s Reach development. It provides a clear pathway for the delivery of trunk infrastructure for the life of the project, and it can’t be understated how crucial this decision is for further housing stock at a time it is desperately needed,” Mr Maidment said.
“The costs of delivering trunk sewerage and water infrastructure to the MacKinnon’s Reach community is substantial and without the support of council, the project simply wouldn’t proceed.
“Local and State Government are aware of the significant upfront costs associated with delivering these services, and moving to help minimise their financial burden, is vital to ensure every step is taken to provide ongoing housing supply to Townsville.”
He said construction was already underway on a $15 million access into the project.
This included a bridge connection over the Little Bohle River, Lynam Rd upgrade, and new signalised intersection from Hervey Range Rd.
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Originally published as Maidment Group’s $500m MacKinnons Reach estate gets help from council
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