Sunshine Coast Council calls on State Government to protect Stockland-owned Halls Creek land

A major state government decision is on the way over where to focus future housing development to prepare for the Sunshine Coast’s expected population boom.

The future of a new mini-city to house tens of thousands of residents in the Sunshine Coast’s south is in the balance as a push grows to rule out development at a massive Stockland-owned site.

Sunshine Coast Council has ramped up its efforts to have Halls Creek rubbed out as a future development site and instead ensure Beerwah East remained the next major greenfield growth destination.

Stockland owns most of the 1400ha of land at Halls Creek that adjoins its Caloundra South and Aura developments and is keen to transform it into its next housing project.

But there are fears development of Halls Creek would deliver continuous urban sprawl from the Gold to the Sunshine coasts.

A state government decision is looming on future development at Halls Creek as the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Moreton Bay councils make clear their desire to have development take place elsewhere to protect the important “green corridor” and the Pumicestone Passage.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said he had “considerable discussions” with the state government earlier this month about his concerns.

“Provided we’re able to get a good solution, in 50 years’ time people will be saying ‘thank goodness so much space was retained between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane’,” he said.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson is urging the state government to protect Halls Creek from development.

Mr Jamieson said the council – which declared a climate emergency this month – had a preference for Beerwah East to be developed because of its proximity to major road and rail transport.

He’s called on the state government to protect the Halls Creek site from future development by including all of the 1400ha in the Regional Inter Urban Break.

Stockland owns about 1200ha of the Halls Creek site which if developed would become an extension of its 2462ha Caloundra South Priority Development Area.

Beerwah East is a 3662ha site also earmarked as a future growth area and could eventually have 20,000 homes.

A Stockland spokesman said the South East Queensland Regional Plan recognised Halls Creek as one area that could help manage future growth.

“With high current and forecast demand for housing on the Sunshine Coast, there is a pressing need to introduce more land to maintain housing availability, choice and affordability,” they said.

Stockland owns more than 1200ha of land at Halls Creek where it hopes to expand its Caloundra South development.

“The vacant site is immediately adjacent to the highly popular Aura community, and can help support the ongoing balanced growth of the Sunshine Coast.”

They said the site was set back from the Bruce Highway and Pumicestone Passage and that any development would include best practice designs, proven to protect downstream waterways.

A Department of State Development spokesman confirmed it was leading an investigation into the interurban break and its intended uses.

They said the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay councils were involved but further community consultation was needed.

“(It) will be a regionally significant green break providing open space between two urban areas,” the spokesman said.

“Consideration is being given to the amount of land required to accommodate growth and to provide housing choice and affordability while protecting the region’s environment and natural resources and ensuring the interurban break’s future protection.”

The spokesman said a decision was likely to be made on Halls Creek and other areas in 2022.

Sunshine Coast Environmental Council liaison Narelle McCarthy said the group had concerns with the Halls Creek development’s potential impacts on the Ramsar-listed Pumicestone Passage.

Ms McCarthy said the area should be removed from any future planning documents including the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which is under review.

“With continued population growth it is critical that we have sustainable development that protects our open space and biodiversity corridors,” she said.

“We shouldn’t allow the pressures of land supply to take precedence over logical and good planning that retains character and amenity.”

Mr Jamieson said without the state government intervening with Halls Creek it could enable urban development to extend continuously from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast.

“This is not an outcome that Sunshine Coast residents or our council wish to see occur,” he said.

“The Regional Inter Urban Break plays an important role in preserving our region’s distinctive character, cultural heritage values and First Nations identity and our region’s lifestyle.

“It contributes significantly to our natural environment and unique landscapes.”

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Council calls on State Government to protect Stockland-owned Halls Creek land