Article: Kawana will inject $1m a day

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Kawana will inject $1m a day

Kawana will inject $1m a day

Mark Furler | 16th September 2011

KAWANA will become the Sunshine Coast's 'resources boom' - a 'game changer' for the region which will inject $1 million a day for five years.

More than 200 business leaders attended a half-day forum in Maroochydore yesterday to see how they could be part of what will be a $3.5 billion injection in the local economy from the hospital and surrounding development.

Sunshine Coast Council CEO John Knaggs said the university hospital, due to start construction in 2013 and be finished in 2016, would be complemented by fast-tracked development.

Detailed planning carried out by the council and developer Stockland would mean much of the project would be 'self-assessable'.

"It will get out of the ground very quickly," he said.

Mr Knaggs also signalled a new approach by the council to aggressively target new industries - offering them incentives to come here - including pharmaceutical companies and nanotechnology.

Stockland regional manager Troy Wainwright said $1 million a day would be spent on in the Kawana area for the next five years.

Developments would include 2200 dwellings for 5300 new residents, 173,950sq m of mixed use facilities, and a $2.75 billion outlay creating 13,000 jobs in construction and 10,000 operating jobs.

Mr Wainwright said the town centre alone would feature more than 500 units, 20,000sq m of retail, an indoor entertainment centre and venues with 24 hour liquor licences to cater for hospital shift workers.

Health Minister Geoff Wilson told the Urban Development Institute of Australia forum that the new tertiary hospital would stop about 10,000 patients a year having to go to Brisbane for treatment.

Once open in December 2016, it would employ 3500 people - many of whom are being recruited over the next couple of years as services are ramped up at Nambour and Caloundra.

Mr Wilson said the three consortiums bidding for the rights to build the hospital would have to demonstrate a commitment to engaging with local firms to maximise the economic spin-offs here, while still meeting national competition guidelines.

WHY KAWANA IS SUCH A GAME CHANGER FOR COAST

THE Sunshine Coast University Hospital - at more than $2 billion - will be the largest hospital project in Australia.

Its value represents a quarter of the Coast's $9 billion annual economy.

More than 15,000 people will visit the hospital every day, creating immense transport requirements on the region.

Stockland anticipates almost 175,000sqm of new mixed use buildings and more than 2000 dwellings to be built within the surrounding health precinct and town centre.

The area will include 15 football fields of parks and buildings ranging up to 10 storeys high in the heart of the town. Workers at the hospital will be able to ride from work to the beach.

Once open in December 2016, the hospital will employ 3500 people while its operating budget will be $680 million a year - about the same as the council's.