Redland City Mayor Karen Williams is encouraging a team of designers who drew up alternate plans for Toondah Harbour at the weekend to work with prospective developers to make their concepts a reality.
The ideas developed at a two-day weekend workshop highlight the interest that exists in the Priority Development Area (PDA) of Toondah Harbour.
You may also like these stories
Cr Williams congratulated those involved in the workshop and encouraged them to take their ideas to investor and developer groups to see what is achievable.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to put Redlands on the map so it is important we get the planning right, “ Cr Williams said.
“We want to ensure that better access and improvements at both Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek PDAs are funded by investors rather than ratepayers and that they remain first and foremost, effective gateways to North Stradbroke and the Southern Moreton Bay islands.
“The ideas from the weekend workshop, combined with all other formal and informal feedback, will certainly assist Council in drawing up its own development assessment criteria for a project that will provide infrastructure, including ferry ramps and passenger facilities, transport interchange and parking, improvements to the park and pedestrian links to the bay, worth more than $80 million.”
The draft scheme, developed by the State Government and Council, was designed by an expert team of award-winning urban design and architect consultants, including a respected Fellow of the Architects Institute of Australia. Leading environmental, stormwater, traffic and engineering consultants were also contracted to develop the draft scheme.
Council and the State Government are working to finalise the PDA schemes for both Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek.
Once approved by the State Government, the PDA schemes will provide the framework for development applications from private investors which will be assessed by Council.
Expressions of interest from investors are expected to open in late April 2014.
The State Government received 827 submissions, including about 150 form letters, from individuals and groups regarding the draft schemes for Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek.
In addition, more than 2000 people have attended 10 community forums and provided online input about the PDAs.
