A community workshop this week marks the beginning of an extensive consultation schedule for the planning of Mount Peter- one of the largest master planning exercises undertaken in Queensland.
Cairns Regional Council Mayor, Councillor Val Schier said Mount Peter offers Cairns a unique opportunity to create a new standard in urban development.
Located south of Cairns between Edmonton and Gordonvale, primarily rural featuring sugar cane farms and a quarry, Mt Peter has been identified by Cairns Regional Council and the Queensland Government as the main urban growth corridor for development in Cairns between 2011- 2050. Planning for Mount Peter will take place over the next three to five years, to enable development to start in 2011.
Cr Val Schier said Cairns Regional Council is committed to ensuring the planning for Mount Peter is developed to reflect local community values and responds to the unique physical, social, economic and cultural features of the area.
"The development timeline means that we need to think about how things might change in the next twenty to thirty years, as well as consider a range of issues related to transport, energy use and efficiency, housing design, local employment and the importance of community," Cr Schier said.
"We are embarking on an extensive consultation process to ensure that community members and other stakeholders including State Government, landholders and community groups can participate in master planning from the very beginning."
The community workshop will be held on Wednesday 15 October from 6.00 pm - 8.30 pm at Bentley Park College Student Centre, as part of the Cairns Regional Council led Mount Peter master planning process.
Manager of Planning Strategies Peter Boyd said the master planning process would also consider the impact of development on the communities of Gordonvale and Edmonton, the surrounding region and the natural environment.
By 2025, Mount Peter is expected to have a population of approximately 50,000 residents, with new development helping to meet the employment, housing, and service needs of a growing population.
Cairns Regional Council is leading the master planning effort and has engaged a consultant team from the Cairns division of leading national engineering firm Cardno.
Peter Boyd said following consultation a structure plan identifying locations for different land uses and intensities would be developed.
"The structure plan will be supported by a number of strategies including mobility and access, water cycle management, economic development, natural environment and community facilities," he explained.
Participant RSVP
People interested in participating in the community workshop should RSVP by emailing their name and contact details to mountpeter@elton.com.au or by calling Mark Tirpak of Elton Consulting at 1800 888 374 (free call).
More information about the Mount Peter master planning process and how community members can participate is available online at: www.mountpetermasterplanning.com.au
Media contact:
Meredith Wilsch, Cairns Regional Council Ph: 07-4044 3120 Mobile: 0407 162 953
m.wilsch@cairns.qld.gov.au
