cover story
Green and keen to grow by Julie Gatehouse
As potential home owners and investors await the urban growth of perfectly-planned Palmview, governments and industry debate the ďŹ ner details. MPP investigates. Z UIFSF XJMM CF MJUUMF DIBODF PG newcomers still confusing Palmview with Palmwoods to its north-west. That first syllable will be the only common factor, as the new Palmview Structure Plan conceives the CJSUI PG B MFBGZ TVCVSCBO HJBOU o QFPQMF living, working and playing south of Sippy Downs on the eastern side of the Bruce Highway. The new residents will be housed in a variety of ways, from single workers and retirees in affordable unit complexes to large families in detached homes with backyards. Commercial development aims to encourage a self-contained economy, with a new town centre of retail businesses and office blocks plus a light industry precinct to the south. Community services such as public transport, a primary school and recreation facilities aim to boost lifestyle. .PSF UIBO UXP UIJSET PG JUT QMVT hectares will remain protected as green space, bounded by the Mooloolah River National Park to the northeast and Palmview Conservation Park to the southwest. From the Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s point of view, those are the vital elements of sustainability: economic, social and environmental. But the details are not yet set in concrete and the public is encouraged UP IBWF B Ä• OBM TBZ CFGPSF UIF "QSJM EFBEMJOF Describing Palmview as a “make or breakâ€? development for the Coast, Mayor Bob Abbot wants residents to send a message to the Queensland Government about their vision for this Greenfield community. While Infrastructure and Planning Minister Stirling Hinchliffe supports most of the plan including its core land use designations, the council does not think his latest changes match expectations. “The council wanted to create an outstanding, transit-oriented, sustainable community on this site,â€? said the Mayor after releasing the plan earlier this month. “We devoted a lot of time and resources to getting the planning right and these changes do not support our original intent.â€?
B
www.mypropertypreview.com.au
COUNCIL MAGAZINE.indd 33
The plan for Palmview provides for a minimum
6285 dwellings with an average residential density of
25 dwellings per hectare
The main bugbears are: t NBLJOH UIF QPQVMBUJPO UBSHFU B NJOJNVN JOTUFBE PG B NBYJNVN t TPNF SFEVDUJPOT JO WFHFUBUJPO CVÄŒ FST t SFNPWBM PG TPNF FOFSHZ FÄ? DJFODZ QSPWJTJPOT t DIBOHJOH JOGSBTUSVDUVSF iBHSFFNFOUTw to “arrangementsâ€?. Bob Abbot says it suggests a “less than ironclad guarantee that infrastructure will be in place when it’s neededâ€?. t BNCJHVJUZ BCPVU XIFUIFS UIF NBJO east-west public transport corridor, known as Greenlink, will cater for a regional bus service as well as pedestrians and bicycles. The council says this capacity is vital so people can travel to Kawana Town Centre and the proposed Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Welcoming public input, Stirling Hinchliffe says he intends to continue working with the DPVODJM UP QMBO UIF OFYU ZFBST PG UIF OFX residential community. “This development won’t happen overnight and must ... provide homes plus access to transport and jobs,â€? he says. “We want to state up-front a minimum
population to give certainty with regard to medium and long-term infrastructure plans.â€? The Minister says buffers have been based on the results of thorough assessments of significant ecosystems and points out UIBU IFDUBSFT XJMM CF QSFTFSWFE “The State Government is doing all JU DBO UP IFMQ QSPWJEF BÄŒ PSEBCMF HPPE RVBMJUZ housing for new residents and the children of existing residents – should they decide to stay in the area,â€? he says. All new residential CVJMEJOHT XJMM IBWF UP NFFU TUBS FOFSHZ FÄ? DJFOU SFRVJSFNFOUT CZ .BZ Meanwhile land owners, developers, employers and the property industry want RVJDL SFTPMVUJPOT TP QFPQMF DBO TUBSU TFUUJOH up homes and businesses. They believe the XIPMF BSFB o UP DPOUBJO NPSF UIBO dwellings – has enormous potential. According to latest Real Estate Institute of Queensland figures, the median house price BU OFBSCZ 4JQQZ %PXOT XBT JO UIF %FDFNCFS RVBSUFS o B HSPXUI PG QFS DFOU PWFS UIF RVBSUFS 0WFS NPOUIT JUT median grew half a per cent to $430,000. The figures show Sippy Downs is a bit more affordable than the Sunshine Coast’s
What type of house can be built? > Up to 50 per cent: detached houses > At least 25 per cent: semi-attached such as townhouses, duplexes, villas > At least 20 per cent: attached such as one or two-bedroom units > Covenants cannot specify a minimum oor area > At least 12.5 per cent of housing must be affordable to the lowest 40 per cent of the income range and dispersed throughout neighbourhoods. - according to the council’s Palmview Structure Plan
Have your say Go to http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sitePage.cfm?code=pv-struct-plan
My Property Preview 33
2/3/2011 11:15:38 AM