Statement: Public invited to comment on Maroochydore city centre

[ozbob]

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney

Public invited to comment on Maroochydore city centre

Plans for the commercial transformation of the Maroochydore's city centre have taken another step forward with the release for public comment of a proposed development scheme for the Sunshine Coast city.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the development scheme sets out the Queensland Government and local council's joint vision to establish Maroochydore as a major economic and employment centre for the region.

"The Maroochydore City Centre Priority Development Area was declared by the State Government at the request of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in July 2013," Mr Seeney said.

"It provides the opportunity to support economic development, build much-needed infrastructure and create a new CBD for the Sunshine Coast.

"The scheme includes opportunities for commercial, retail, mixed-use and high to medium density residential development.

"It also makes provision for new road transport, public open space, rail corridors and community facilities infrastructure necessary to service Maroochydore and reflect the regional role of the area.

"Developments like this have the potential to create hundreds of jobs during construction and more opportunities in the retail space on completion, boosting the local economy.

"We promised at the election to deliver better infrastructure and planning and this announcement fits that pledge."

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson said the development of the Maroochydore City Centre will be a major boost for investment confidence in the region.

"Development of the PDA will establish Maroochydore as the pre-eminent centre for the provision of regional economic, employment and civic facilities," Mr Jamieson said.

"The council's $42 million investment to acquire the 53-hectare Horton Park Golf Club site will allow for the building of much needed infrastructure, enabling us to rectify current and future traffic transport issues in Maroochydore and over time, develop a civic, commercial, cultural and recreational core for the region.

"I encourage the community to have its say on the proposed development scheme for the Maroochydore City Centre, as this project will be instrumental towards building and strengthening our region."

Planning has been carried out by Sunshine Coast Council, while Economic Development Queensland has assisted the council in preparing the proposed development scheme.

The Maroochydore City Centre Priority Development Area is approximately 62 hectares and encompasses council-owned landholdings, including the current site of the Horton Park Golf Club and State-owned land on Dalton Drive, Maroochydore.

The proposed development scheme for the Maroochydore City Centre Priority Development Area is available for review from Friday 31 January 2014 until Monday 17 March 2014.

Information displays will be held at:

    Millwell Road Community Centre – Thursday 6 February 2014 from 7pm to 9pm
    Sunshine Plaza – Saturday 15 February 2014 from 10am to 2pm

The proposed development scheme is available at Council's customer service centres, Sunshine Coast libraries and the Lake Kawana Community Centre. It can also be viewed online at www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au and on the State Government's website at www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/maroochydore

[ENDS] 31 January 2014

[Stillwater]

This needs to be gone through in further detail.  However, at first glance, this document seems to have been written with a 'get out of jail' card regarding the provision of heavy rail to the new Maroochydore town centre.  This is worrying.  If you look carefully at the documentation, the maps show the CAMCOS corridor, but the language of the words speaks of the development 'interacting with' PT around a 'transit' station. 

This is careful public service speak.

Use of the term 'interacting with' means that the PT/rail connecting does not form an integral and essential part of the development approval.  It is separate, and further wording would indicate that the building of a railway line to Maroochydore is planned long after the town centre is built.

Note also the use of the term transit' station (NOT railway station).  Transit station means buses.  The maps lull us into a false sense of security that CAMCOS is part of this development.

When one goes searching the words for 'railway', there is scant mention.  There is this:

(The development) Integrates suitable active land uses in alignment with the future transit interchange, light rail and existing transit interchange.
(The development) Provides suitable interim land uses that support or allow for future infrastructure around identified transport corridors, alignments and interchanges.

'Future transit interchange' means a passing of time between when the town centre is up and running and when PT servicing it will be provided.
Reference is made to the 'existing transit interchange' (a BUS interchange.)  So, 'transit' means bus ... the future interchange will be for buses (no mention of rail yet).

The documentation states that the development allows for 'suitable interim land use that support or allow for future infrastructure around identified transport corridors.'

Parsing the language ... again we have mention of future provision of PT, it won't be integral to the town centre at the time it is up and running.  It is 'in the future' but how far away?  The land identified for 'transport infrastructure' (note, avoidance of the word 'rail') has INTERIM land use status for that purpose.

We do get mention of 'light rail', which the SCRC wants on the Coast in addition to heavy rail on the CAMCOS corridor to Maroochydore.

The State Government is always keen to mention in its documentation the provision of transport infrastructure by other levels of government (feds and local), but is very vague when it come to its own responsibilities.

This documentation has lots of wriggle room for the state government not to meet its obligation to construction of the CAMCOS Rail, Beerwah to Maroochydore.

[Arnz]

The Seven Local News clips also show the "Transit" station as light rail on the CAMCOS corridor, as opposed to the long-proposed Heavy Rail alternative. 

Also to be blunt from my opinion, I can't see CAMCOS being there in whole (would love to be wrong here, but I can't see CAMCOS in full happening). 

There is a faint chance of CAMCOS being there in part, but to connect to the bus network with Heavy Rail terminating at either Caloundra or Kawana.  The former (at Caloundra) may be cheaper via extending the 600 from the Caloundra Bus Station to the Rail Station site, along with bus lanes and busways along the CoastConnect corridor to improve the reliability of the Coast's major trunk bus route.   

If the Heavy Rail terminated at Kawana Town Centre (Kawana Hospital), then Light Rail, although a bit more expensive may be a slimmer possibility due to the population alongside the Kawana-Mooloolaba corridor (as one of the proposed routes via the Local News listed one route rejoining the Nicklin Way). 

On the other hand, The "Maglev Bus to Maroochydore  " proposal from the American company is considered a joke from forum users on other related development & transit forums and just can't take it seriously.

[Stillwater]

There would appear to be no clear position on this, but, reading the tealeaves, it would appear that thinking has switched to having heavy rail to Kawana, with light rail/buses radiating from there.  It would be nice if governments let the public in on their thinking.

[ozbob]

The previous mob were somewhat secretive and plotting, the present incumbents have taken it to another level again  ...

[James]

Personal thought here - I would not be surprised to see the state simply go with LRT (or even busway) over heavy rail running from Caloundra to Kawana/Maroochydore, with buses taking pax Caloundra - Landsborough and Kawana/Maroochydore - Woombye/Nambour. This then means a government only needs to fund duplication to Nambour and a condensed LRT, rather than duplication to Nambour + CAMCOS, which will definitely not be cheap.

Its a shame that it is likely to be half-baked in such a spectacular fashion, but this is what will happen. The government will write off heavy rail on the Sunny Coast once the GCLRT takes off/a few studies say demand isn't there. The Sunny Coast's biggest problem is that the population density just isn't there to support a strong PT network with decent frequencies.

[Arnz]

Kawana/Maroochydore - Woombye/Nambour

^

Its quicker to send the buses from Kawana/Maroochydore to Landsborough as opposed to Nambour.  The 615 to/from Landsborough serves that purpose for Maroochydore passengers, as well as drop by the University to pick up/set down students that way.   Sending them via Nambour adds another 30 mins to their travel times. 

Kawana has the convenience of the Route 600 trunk service every 12-15 mins to Mooloolaba (for 615) or to Caloundra (for 605).

Nambour is mainly a interchange point for Points inbetween Kunda Park and Nambour (Kuluin, etc), Noosa and the Noosa hinterland suburbs (Cooroy/Eumundi).

[Jonno]

as usual the study is supported by a detailed traffic analysis with little or no active or public transport analysis.  According the city will design itself around the use of motor vehicles.  This is the major reason we cannot break the car dependency.  We are not even trying to!!!!

[Stillwater]

Sunshine Coast Daily clip shows vision for Maroochydore Town Centre, clearly indicating light rail.  Have a look at the vision:

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/planners-get-it-right-for-maroochydore-heart/2162974/

and immediately after ... watch the parody of the recent local government split -- Noosa no longer part of the Sunshine Coast Council area. but stands alone as a separate council entity.  People around Eumundi want to join Noosa.