SCENIC RIM BUDGET SUPPORTS GROWTH PLANNED FOR BEAUDESERT

Ainsley McLaren
Economics, Strategy and Research

Scenic Rim Regional Council released its budget for the financial year 2010/2011 in late June. While the budget supports infrastructure and planning across the whole region, its contents emphasise the Scenic Rim’s focus on facilitating the significant growth anticipated for Beaudesert Township.

The amalgamated Scenic Rim covers 4,250sq km and incorporates the former Boonah Shire, the southern part of the former Beaudesert Shire and even areas previously considered part of Ipswich City. Regional and local planning both position Beaudesert as the administrative, cultural and growth centre of this vast area. While this strategy is questioned by many locals living in centres outside of Beaudesert, it is considered an essential funding decision in planning for the region. For a local government area the size of Scenic Rim, with a relatively low population (34,000 people) and therefore rate base, it is impractical and almost impossible, to duplicate facilities in all of the Region’s ten (10) main towns.

Beaudesert Township has an existing population of only 5,500. However, given its location less than one hour from both Brisbane and the Gold Coast and in close proximity to the proposed industrial hub of Bromelton (for which structure planning is currently being undertaken); this population is anticipated to grow to 25,000 people as early as 2026.

A number of elements from the Scenic Rim Regional Council 2010/2011 budget support the sustainable facilitation of this growth, including:

• $200,000 for the detailed planning of the Beaudesert Library and Davidson Park Redevelopment project, which will create a community heart for the centre of the Township. (This detailed architectural phase builds on initial urban design and strategic planning work undertaken for Council by THG.)
• $50,000 to prepare a Beaudesert CBD development plan, which will consider infrastructure requirements to support growth, including the need for a bypass of the town centre; and which will coincide with the Beaudesert Growth Management Strategy already underway.
• $50,000 for preparation of a region-wide planning vision for the Scenic Rim, building on existing Boonah and Beaudesert Shire planning documents and based on recent population and residential development projections.
• $15,000 to commence the scoping of the new Scenic Rim Planning Scheme, which will guide development for the next 10 to 15 years across the region. The new Planning Scheme however is anticipated to not come into effect until 2012.
• $12.4 million allocated to water, sewerage and solid waste infrastructure across the Scenic Rim, including a badly needed sewerage treatment plant upgrade at Beaudesert, which will support growth anticipated in the south of the Township.

Further detail on Scenic Rim’s 2010/2011 budget, can be found on their website or feel free to contact Ainsley for any further information.