The Bundaberg Region is growing and Council is investing in key strategic planning projects to maintain our liveable, vibrant and connected community.
Two of those projects were presented at last week’s Bundaberg Regional Council meeting with the consideration of submissions for the Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) amendment and a proposed amendment to the Bundaberg Regional Planning Scheme for the Bundaberg Health and Enterprise Precinct.
LGIP project progresses
An amendment to the LGIP, incorporating feedback from public submissions, was accepted by Council at the Ordinary Meeting on 30 September.
The LGIP plans for the future by assessing key growth areas and detailing the infrastructure – whether it’s sewer and water connections or roads and parks – that are needed to support it.
The proposed amendment will now be sent to the Queensland Government Planning Minister and the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning for approval, before being formally adopted by Council.
The purpose of the amendment was to update the models that support the plan, ensure compliance with Ministerial guidelines and to update plans for trunk infrastructure.
Learn more about the LGIP amendment on Council’s community engagement hub here.
New hospital precinct planning
At the same meeting Council also resolved to progress proposed amendments to the planning scheme to include a local area plan for the new Bundaberg Hospital in Thabeban.
The proposed plan will progress the master planning completed by the State Government to create a Bundaberg Health and Enterprise Precinct.
Next steps for the Bundaberg Health and Enterprise Precinct local area plan are submission to State government for formal statutory review and approval to proceed to public notification.
The plan will be open for public consultation later in the year once approval to proceed is received from the Planning Minister.
Council received $150,000 from the Australian Government’s Housing Support Program to undertake local planning for the area.
Planning for future part of Council’s vision
Mayor Helen Blackburn said strong growth in the Bundaberg Region required careful and strategic town planning.
“Council is creating a more liveable, vibrant and connected community by planning for growth and the infrastructure needed to support it,” Mayor Blackburn said.
“Essential infrastructure doesn’t just happen, it has to be carefully planned to ensure that we can continue to grow while maintaining our lifestyle and the things we love about living in the Bundaberg Region.
“These processes provide assurances for our residents that Council is committed to delivering this essential community infrastructure now and into the future and also provides developers with certainty around the requirements for projects in our region.”
Mayor Blackburn said the new Bundaberg hospital was an exciting development for the wider region.
“A local plan for this area will facilitate the creation of a vibrant health, knowledge and enterprise precinct surrounding the new Bundaberg Hospital,” she said.
“It will support an adjacent residential community with a diversity of housing stock, local services and facilities that complement the new hospital.
“This is a crucial area for growth in our region, and the plan aims to maximise the economic opportunities generated by the new hospital.”
How much sooner, and cheaper, would infrastructure be delivered if so much time and money wasn’t wasted keeping public servants occupied? What a goddamn waste of resources.
On the plus side at the moment there is massive amounts of money for infrastructure that leads to more homes being built from both the federal government & the QLD state government. That means the rate payers shouldn’t have to foot the bill.
Got space for a proper Mall in there somewhere or near it? It’s far enough away from Hinkler Central & Sugarland.
Would also be a great spot for a new high school.
Great idea we need to get as much done as we possibly can either before the Olympics or just after. Ideally we need to start on this right now. The hospital could be built during the construction of the rest we don’t need to wait for it. The Olympics will cause huge growth in the South East Corner that has not been properly prepared for by them at all. We will have record spill on growth from it pushing people out.
It’s also increasingly becoming the case that our kids that would normally leave when they grow up now have to stay here in Bundaberg as they won’t be able to afford the vastly more expensive south east corner. Pushing our growth rate even higher. They are now significantly better off staying here in Bundaberg we need a platform to allow this to happen.
If you think our growth is high now just wait for 2032+
Aim to complete as much as possible by 2032 with even more after that.
Imagine the jobs this will create not just in initial construction but also in demand from future developments. I’d imagine we want shops, eateries, services, petrol stations, solar pannels & more on top of what is pictured.
What about a new post code for bargara and beach areas, as I’m sick of telling the insurance companies that I don’t live in a flood zone (parts of Bundaberg), surely with all the new subdivisions going on it’s about time to start putting it in the plan.
How about a shopping centre of North bundaberg so people can have some choice when shopping if you live north side. This would also service all the smaller town like Avondale., Agnes. South Kolan, Sharon, Gin Gin, Yandarn and beyond.