Fears over new Edmonton youth drug rehab centre in Cairns

Concerns about a new drug rehab centre’s impact on property prices in a Cairns suburb have been ignored, consultation documents reveal.

Concerns about the flow-on effects of a new youth rehab centre in the southern suburbs have been snubbed according to a local council candidate, who’s labelled the project’s consultation “a box-ticking exercise”.

Division 2 council candidate Matthew Tickner said submissions made to the government about the slated youth drug rehabilitation facility in Edmonton were given a complete side swipe.

Plans to build the 10-bed residential centre were first announced in October 2020 and the land was purchased in 2022, however a construction timeline still remains unclear.

Mr Tickner, who has been campaigning in the area ahead of the Cairns council election, said the centre was “the first thing on people’s minds” with fears its location will increase crime and impact property prices.

Division 2 council candidate and Cairns Chamber of Commerce vice-president Matthew Tickner. Picture: Stewart McLean

The state government’s decision notice on the project revealed the response given to submissions about these concerns was: “perceived impacts on property values (was) not a relevant planning consideration”.

“This area is the highest area for crime typically in Cairns … it feels like we’re getting kicked in the shins again for the potential remedy to these issues,” Mr Tickner said.

“It’s so against town planning principles. You don’t put a brothel next to a daycare, and you don’t put a rehab facility next to four bottle shops.”

The Mount Peter Rd facility is along a residential street and within 500m of four liquor shops.

Mr Tickner, who has an urban development background, said although the centre would be staffed 24/7 it should be further away from people’s homes and alcohol outlets.

However state government responses claimed the centre would be a residential care facility “as close as possible to a home-like environment”.

“As clients generally come from the home environment and will return to their home and families after treatment, a residential setting is seen as an important part of the overall treatment experience,” the response to submissions read.

“This also provides the necessary proximity and ease of access to external community services and amenities.

“Given the imperative of being located within a residential neighbourhood, it would be nearly impossible to secure a site for the facility that was an “appropriate” distance from such (liquor) outlets.”

Mr Tickner said that reasoning does not pass the pub test.

“The community have seen how little power the police have to limit the movements of offending youths, what hope do social workers have restricting recovering addicts?” he said.

Construction on the facility went out for tender in September.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman’s office was contacted for comment.

Originally published as Fears over new Edmonton youth drug rehab centre in Cairns