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The proposed Bromelton SDA.
Bromelton
Rapid growth in South East Queensland (SEQ) has resulted in the need to identify, preserve, plan and develop land for large industrial uses and high impact industrial uses (noxious, offensive and hazardous) that can be separated from residential and incompatible land uses with a large permanent buffer.
In recognition of Bromelton’s advantages as a strategic location for industrial development, it is proposed that it be declared a SDA under Section 77 of the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971.
Such a declaration would create market-responsive land use planning controls, alleviate growth pressures, address the industrial land needs of SEQ, maximise the strategic advantage of the land, and ensure appropriate industries were suitably located.
Why Bromelton?
Bromelton is a potential site for a new intermodal freight terminal to service the needs of SEQ once the Acacia Ridge rail terminal reaches full capacity. Situated on a national standard gauge railway line, Bromelton is a strategic location for major manufacturing operations and industries requiring access to rail transport. Moreover, operations that require large industrial lots could be provided for at Bromelton.
A range of infrastructure and services would be required to support future industrial development at Bromelton. Non-rail-dependant industries could be located at Bromelton to complement logistics and manufacturing operations, along with service industries to support the needs of the future communities.
By declaring Bromelton an SDA, the area would become a major employment generator for the existing and future communities of Beaudesert Shire, Logan City and the Western Corridor.
Draft land use master plan
Following environmental, physical and economic investigations of the proposed Bromelton SDA, land considered suitable for future industrial development was identified and a draft land use master plan describing the planning intent for the area was prepared.
A number of land use precincts within the SDA have been proposed based on physical and environmental constraints, market research and infrastructure servicing. These precincts are indicative only. The locations of specific developments would be assessed individually and may also be subject to government and community consultation.
Proposed land use precincts
The following information and adjacent map shows the proposed precincts within the Bromelton SDA and provides examples of the types of uses intended for each precinct.
- Future intermodal freight (IMF) terminal:
Intermodal freight terminal for road/rail freight handling to meet SEQ’s future logistics requirements, with consideration for specialised infrastructure directly associated with the IMF terminal and security and access requirements.
Examples: road/rail freight terminal, warehouse/storage facility, intermodal freight facility support. Low-impact industries providing services to, and supporting the operations of, the IMF terminal and related industries – for example, low-impact industries (e.g. truck service depot), local utilities, warehouse/storage facilities, telecommunications facilities.
Noise and light-sensitive industries and activities incompatible with the 24-hour operations of the IMF terminal will be discouraged.
- Non-rail-dependent industry
Medium- and large-scale manufacturing and warehousing activities that support or complement rail-dependent, logistics and manufacturing activities. These uses do not require direct rail access.
Examples: general industry, major and local utilities, warehouse/storage facilities, telecommunications facilities.
- Rail-dependent industry
Large-scale manufacturing and warehousing activities requiring direct rail access and large lots.
Examples: general industry, heavy manufacturing, local and major utilities, warehouse/storage facilities (requiring access to rail).
- Service/general industry
Small-scale, low-impact industrial activities providing services to, or supporting the operations of, large-scale industrial and logistics operations.
Examples: low-impact/service industries, utilities, telecommunications facilities, service stations.
- Local activity centre
A core business area would be established to service the daily needs of businesses and employees within the proposed Bromelton SDA.
Examples: commercial activities, convenience stores, reception centres, service stations, shops, local utilities, childcare facilities, telecommunications facilities.
- Buffers
Buffers would ensure inappropriate or sensitive land uses did not encroach upon future industrial development or compromise the long-term operation of the proposed SDA.
Examples: agriculture, animal husbandry, utilities, forestry, telecommunications facilities.
Note: The Bromelton off-stream storage facility would be located in the buffer precinct.
- Special Industry Investigation Area
The suitability of this area for high-impact, difficult-to-locate activities has yet to be established and requires further investigation. These special industries require:
• adequate separation from sensitive uses and built-up urban areas;
• provision of appropriate emergency response and security measures.
This precinct would be protected from land uses that would compromise the establishment of special industries, pending the outcome of the State Government’s impending Special Industry Estates Study.
Examples: agriculture, animal husbandry, utilities, extractive industries, forestry, telecommunications facilities.
- Strategic road network
The aim is to keep traffic generated by the proposed SDA out of the township of Beaudesert. A potential road network has been identified to service the proposed SDA, with connections to surrounding networks such as the Southern Infrastructure Corridor. The proposed network is indicative only and will be subject to future alignment and design investigations.
- Infrastructure and services
The infrastructure and services required to support future development in the proposed Bromelton SDA will be provided via infrastructure agreements negotiated between developers, local government and state agencies, and will be attached as conditions of approved developments.
Charlton (Toowoomba)
The Australian Transport & Energy Corridor Limited (ATEC), headed by well-known rail advocate Everald Compton, is planning to build a new standard gauge, open access railway, the Border Railway, from Moree in NSW to Toowoomba in Queensland via North Star, Yetman, Yelarbon, Inglewood, Millmeran and Pittsworth, a distance of 350 kilometres.
Estimated to cost $900 million and to be completed by 2014, it would combine existing rail tracks south of Moree and the Surat Basin Railway from Toowoomba to Gladstone, which will be completed by an ATEC consortium in 2013. The construction of the Border Railway will create a standard gauge railway from Melbourne to Gladstone and a link to the Port of Newcastle.
ATEC anticipates that the Border Railway will annually handle 8 million tonnes of general freight, 12m tonnes of coal, and bulk rural freight whose volumes would be seasonally variable.
The Border Railway will take non-Sydney rail freight away from Sydney’s congested rail system and take 1,000 trucks a day off the Newell Highway, creating massive savings in road maintenance and considerable benefits to the environment. It will also help create new industries in the inland regions and attract population away from capital cities.
The railway will create a national rail freight system from the Port of Fremantle to the Port of Gladstone to the north and Melbourne to the south.
The Border Railway would also connect two of ATEC’s terminal developments, one in Parkes, NSW, and the second one in Charlton (Toowoomba). The Charlton terminal would be at the junction of the Border Railway and the Surat Basin Railway, which is currently under construction and is due to be completed in mid-2012.
Situated on 250 hectares, the Charlton terminal has received its development approval from the local council and is currently having its utilities connected (water, power, etc.). The terminal will for now be developed as a truck terminal and is scheduled to open in 2010 with warehousing and distribution facilities.
Once the railway is completed, the terminal will become a multi-user, open-access facility with rail access able to accommodate freight trains up to 2 km long and will include container handling, repair and storage services.
The terminal is situated on the Brisbane-Charleville road and is intended to become the distribution centre for South East Queensland industry and retail, rather than for Brisbane. In addition, it is planned to service the Port of Gladstone, which the Queensland Government is actively promoting as a future alternative to the Port of Brisbane. Gladstone has already allocated land in the port precinct for container operations, and ATEC has long-term plans to invest in a container terminal there.
ATEC has submitted a claim for an unsolicited exclusive mandate for a private-public partnership to the NSW and Queensland governments, and has also made a submission to the Federal Government, requesting that it finance the upgrading of Australian Rail Track Corporation–owned track between Dubbo and Moree. A final determination on the mandate is due in September 2008.
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