Stockland rules out Halls Creek as fast train motivation

DEVELOPER Stockland says its involvement in a Coast fast-train project is not born from a desire to build homes on a section of disputed land.

The company and Sunshine Coast Council have opposing views on the suitability of residential development at Halls Creek, south of Caloundra beside the Pumicestone Passage.

Stockland already owns the majority of land in the area, which was identified in last year’s South East Queensland Regional Plan as a potential future growth area.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson has repeatedly voiced his opposition to residential development at Halls Creek, advocating for the protection of an inter-urban break between the Coast and Caboolture.

Stockland north region residential communities manager Ben Simpson said his company wanted to be able to better connect its major Caloundra South and Birtinya residential developments with Brisbane.

He noted allowances for new rail stations had been made within both.

“The rail alignment within Aura itself has been locked in for quite some time,” Mr Simpson said.

“It (Aura) needs the rail line to be there and preferably early on in the project, not once the 50,000 people have moved in.”

He said there was a very long way to go before Halls Creek and rail corridor sites like Beerwah East could be developed.

“There are a lot of checks and balances in that process.

“We haven’t seen this project as a way to leverage an outcome there.

“It’s about how can we actually deliver a vision that we have already got out there and have been communicating for years now.”

Stockland is one of four private firms involved in the North Coast Connect project to bring a fast-train connection between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

The Federal Government last week committed funding for creation of a business case.

“We are really excited about the funding announcement,” Mr Simpson said.

“Obviously it is a fantastic endorsement of the proposal that we were a part of putting forward.”

He said a business case for such a proposal would normally take two to two-and-a-half years to complete but the government wanted this one back within 12 to 18 months.

“If you know about how these processes run they really are quite involved and there are multiple stakeholders from all levels of government plus the community and other stakeholders along that 150km rail line.

“That formation effort is quite intense.

“We really need all of those parts to be working together cooperatively and collectively over that very short period to bring it all together.”

Cr Jamieson said improving the transport infrastructure network within the Sunshine Coast and its connectivity to Brisbane was one of the council’s highest priorities for the region.

“In conveying our support for the North Coast Connect proposal, our council made it clear that it should not be interpreted in any way that council supported the development of Halls Creek,” Cr Jamieson said.

“Providing a faster rail solution between Brisbane and Nambour and Maroochydore will provide substantial social and economic benefits for the Sunshine Coast and the locations along this corridor, including Beerwah East and Caloundra South.　

“This solution can be progressed – and deliver these benefits – without the need for urban development at Halls Creek.”