Significant growth is expected to continue in the Central Queensland resources sector over the next five years along with the development of major infrastructure projects. This will result in further expansion of the Region’s mining and industrial services sector. While the Rockhampton Region provides competitive advantages for these service industries, there is an acute shortage of industrial land suitable for medium and high impact industry.
Gracemere Industrial Area
The Gracemere Industrial Area has been identified by both Council and the Queensland Government as a regionally significant industrial area required to meet current and future industrial land demands of the Rockhampton Region. Construction of the new overpass during 2012 is also expected to be a catalyst for further development of the Gracemere Industrial Area.
One of the major barriers to development of the Gracemere Industrial Area is availability of appropriately zoned industrial land. The proposed Temporary Local Planning Instrument provides a mechanism to address this issue in the short-term while the new Planning Scheme is being prepared, prior to adoption in 2013. Providing for areas of low, medium and high impact industry will support development of the Gracemere Industrial Area and generate local employment opportunities for Gracemere’s growing population. Importantly, it will also support investor confidence and make a clear statement that the Rockhampton Region is “Open for Business”.
Temporary Local Planning Instrument
A Temporary Local Planning Instrument suspends a planning scheme over an area for up to a year in cases where there is a significant risk of serious adverse environmental, social, economic or cultural conditions occurring. Council believes there is significant and immediate risk of losing investment and associated economic and employment opportunities due to the shortage of suitable industrial land in the Region.
Why a Temporary Local Planning Instrument may be applied
The proposed Temporary Local Planning Instrument aims to overcome the short-term impediments by providing medium impact industrial land in closest proximity to existing infrastructure networks in the Gracemere Industrial Area. It also seeks to preclude development that would conflict with the industrial intent for the area. The instrument sets the level of assessment to be applied to development and establishes desired outcomes and acceptable solutions in its development code.
The area included in the proposed Temporary Local Planning Instrument is intended to recognise the market attraction to the new overpass combined with proximity to existing infrastructure networks. It also aims to provide a range of existing lot sizes that can accommodate both smaller businesses and large business that require large areas of land. While the average demand for industrial land is estimated to be between 5 and 10 hectares per annum, some individual businesses can require sites of 10 hectares or more.
When a Temporary Local Planning Instrument may be applied
Council will immediately propose the draft Temporary Local Planning Instrument to the Queensland Government Minister for Local Government and Planning. The Minister then has 20 business days to consider the proposal and advise Council whether it may adopt the proposed instrument, with or without conditions.
If approved by the Queensland Government, Council must then decide whether to adopt the proposed Temporary Local Planning Instrument. Council will seek the views of land owners regarding the proposed instrument in parallel with the Minister’s consideration. Both the view of landholders and any conditions imposed by the Minister will be considered by Council.
If adopted, Council must then provide public notification of the decision, at which time the instrument takes effect. It is anticipated that the final decision will be made by Council in April 2012.