Waterfront scheme approval opens way for city’s vision
Date published: 23 October 2015
Mayor Cr Jenny Hill welcomed the State Government approval of the Townsville City Waterfront PDA development scheme as a major milestone for long term development and jobs in the city.
The Waterfront vision provides a blueprint for the transformation of 97 hectares of waterfront land in Townsville’s city centre into a world-class precinct of apartments, retail and commercial facilities and public spaces.
Cr Hill said the approval of the scheme would provide investors, financiers and developers with confidence to back new projects in the Waterfront area .
"The Waterfront PDA will drive long term investment and lifestyle opportunities in Townsville, in the same way The Strand did over 15 years ago," Cr Hill said.
"The formalisation of the development scheme will remove potential barriers and provide a definitive plan to guide balanced development in the CBD over the next two decades.
"This will be crucial for providing financiers and the development industry with greater confidence and certainty in backing major projects in The Waterfront area.
"The scheme will be extremely important in the city’s campaign for the Integrated Stadium and Entertainment Centre (ISEC), and to attract developer interest in the former railway North Yards and other opportunities in the CBD.
Townsville City Council’s Planning and Development Committee chairman Cr Tony Parsons said The Waterfront PDA development scheme had been a collaborative effort between the council, the Port of Townsville Limited and Economic Development Queensland.
"Townsville has an exciting opportunity to unlock the potential of prime areas of the CBD and create a World class inner-city precinct that defines the city as a regional capital," Cr Parsons said.
"The PDA development scheme puts us in a much stronger position to attract national and international investment in the revitalisation of the inner-city and achieving our target of 30,000 people living and working in the CBD by 2030.
"Importantly, The Waterfront vision received highly positive feedback during the public submission period and has broad community support. We thank everyone who had input during the extensive public submissions period."
The Waterfront vision includes exciting ideas incorporating pedestrian boardwalks and bridges, arts and cultural facilities, residential and retail opportunities, public open space, and the proposed integrated stadium and entertainment centre.
Council has already commenced design work on the Waterfront Promenade project, and is negotiating the purchase of the proposed site for the Integrated Stadium and Entertainment and Convention Centre on the southside of Ross Creek.
A Public Notification Submissions Review Report is available on the Economic Development Queensland and Townsville City Council’s websites with issues raised by submitters and relevant responses.
The Townsville City Waterfront PDA Development Scheme replaces the Interim Land Use Plan.
