Shoreline wastewater treatment plant next to the Logan River
Plans for development of 5,000 dwellings in Southern Redlands have received a major boost from the Queensland Government which this week gave the Shoreline sewerage project two favourable decisions:
- Plans for sewerage treatment have been approved by the state government under its Ministerial Infrastructure Designation powers which are not subject to appeal; and
- The State Government announced that it will be a $15 million “co-investor” in the $30 million Shoreline sewerage project.
State Government to co-invest in Shoreline sewerage
Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Steven miles announced yesterday that the State government will co-invest with Lendlease in the staged delivery of a $30 million wastewater treatment plant for the 3,000 home Shoreline project.
“As well as servicing the broader Southern Redland Bay area, the plant will service Lendlease’s master planned community ‘Shoreline’, as well,” Mr Miles said.
“Investing in this essential infrastructure will allow for the construction of up to 3000 residential dwellings, a town centre, potential primary school, and community and sports facilities.
“The infrastructure funding will also unlock an additional 2000 lots outside the master planned community.”
Ministerial Infrastructure Designation for Shoreline Sewerage
Lendlease got more good news this week with the State Government granting a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation for the Shoreline sewerage project on 24 June 2021.
Information about this decision, including the State Government’s summary of issues raised and dismissed during a public consultation process, are now publicly available.
Ministerial Infrastructure designation is highly sought after by property developers, with planning consultants Wolter Consulting Group saying:
“An Infrastructure Designation is like Planning Gold! No longer bestowed on only public sector entities, an Infrastructure Designation (ID) is an opportunity to designate premises for the development of essential infrastructure and services, faster, at lower cost and without risk of appeal.”
Redland City Council’s controversial Shoreline approval
The Shoreline project, originally developed by local property developers Fox and Bell, was approved controversially by Redland City Council on 18 November 2015.
At the time this project was approved the land was situated outside the urban footprint of the South East Queensland Regional Plan in an area that lacks infrastructure but is plagued by biting midges and mosquitos.
The Shoreline project, originally expected to have 4,000 dwellings, was approved by Redland City Council (and the newly elected State Labor Government) without any plans by the developer for sewerage treatment.
At the time this project was approved the community was told by Redland City Council that the Shoreline developer would be responsible for providing all infrastructure.
Mayor Karen Williams said back in 2015 that provision of sewerage and other necessary infrastructure would be the Shoreline developer’s responsibility.
“Shoreline will deliver $100 million in infrastructure – including major upgrades to state roads and tens of millions in other infrastructure – with private money which is not borrowed from Council or ratepayers,” said Mayor Williams.
“As a potential future urban area, Council has been able to ensure that all necessary Council infrastructure, such as water, sewer and parks, will be provided to service the development at no cost to the existing Redlands community,” she said.
Division 6 local councillor Julie Talty said that the Shoreline approval was “heavily conditioned”.
“The application assessment process has involved significant state- and council-negotiated conditions and a separate infrastructure agreement with the developer, who will be responsible for providing the necessary infrastructure directly related to the development as well as outside the development to mitigate wider impacts on the city and the region,” said Cr Talty.
Lendlease takes over the Shoreline project
Property developer Lendlease (ASX LLC) took over the Shoreline Project in 2018.
Detailed planning by Lendlease resulted in the Shoreline project scope being reduced from 4,000 dwellings to approximately 3,000 dwellings.
Early this year, Lendlease sought environmental approval from the Federal Government under the EPBC Act for a proposal to treat Shoreline sewage and discharge waste water into the Logan River.
EPBC referral 2020/8849 – Southern Redland Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant was notified publicly on 6 January 2020. Here is a link to the main referral document.
The timeframe for a decision on this referral by Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley has been postponed three times, most recently in a notification dated 16 June 2021.
Further reading about Shoreline sewerage
Mosquito management and the Shoreline project
Shoreline sewerage on Council meeting agenda
Redlands2030 – 26 June 2021
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