Sunshine Coast Council steps up bid to preserve Halls Creek

Stockland’s attempt to secure Commonwealth environmental approval of Halls Creek has been called out by Sunshine Coast Council as having no lawful basis and its referral does not disclose the full facts.

Halls Creek is located just south of Stockland’s Caloundra South development.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said the developer’s referral under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act was premature and inconsistent with the statutory planning framework.

“Stockland, in its referral to the EPBC, has also failed to mention that development in Halls Creek is prohibited,” Mayor Jamieson said. 

“I am writing to the Minister for Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, imploring her to reject the referral, as there is no lawful basis upon which Stockland’s referral can be properly assessed.

“As a result, the Commonwealth’s assessment of the referral will have to be based on Stockland’s ‘best guess’ scenario of the form of development it would like to see occur within Halls Creek.

“The first step should actually be the State Government considering whether to include Halls Creek in the urban footprint under the South East Queensland Regional Plan.

“This looks like a purely speculative exercise by Stockland, one which is probably more about increasing the value of their land holding rather than genuinely addressing the current housing crisis.”

Mayor Jamieson said many people would be unaware that Stockland had only constructed 6,500 of the 13,000 housing lots already approved in Caloundra South.

“At this moment, the developer has approval to create lots that would provide homes which would accommodate another 15,000 people.

“As you travel on the Bruce Highway, between the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay council areas, look to the east and understand that Caloundra South will be more than three times the size it is now.

“That’s a lot of homes which would go a long way towards helping the housing crisis and should be Stockland’s priority.

“It is a huge development.

“However, Stockland’s focus is to pursue approvals to develop Halls Creek which would not occur for many years and certainly not in time to alleviate the current housing crisis.

“They have purchased that land knowing it was, and remains, zoned for rural and conservation purposes

“Sunshine Coast Council and before that, Caloundra City Council, and our community have always been opposed to this land being developed because we are focused on protecting the environment for future generations.

“Studies have shown that developing Halls Creek, located within the Glasshouse/Pumicestone Inter-Urban Break, would pose a high risk of unacceptable environmental impacts on the Pumicestone Passage and Ramsar Wetlands, which are already under pressure from urban development and at significant risk of further environmental decline.

“Many would not be aware that the Caloundra South development was originally supported by Council on the basis that a substantive environmental rehabilitation program would be completed on the Halls Creek area to absorb the impacts of the Caloundra South development and to improve the condition of the lower Pumicestone Passage catchment.

“Further, any development in Halls Creek would fail to meet the State Government’s Urban Footprint Principles set by Shaping SEQ – the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2017.

“It appears now they want to change the rules, by trying to get environmental approvals without sufficient information upon which to assess such a referral.

“And to add insult to injury, they have also changed the name of Halls Creek to Aura South, in their referral.

“There’s already a solution on the table. Beerwah East is more suited to future urban development because it would provide sufficient greenfield housing supply well beyond 2046, able to house more than 50,000 people.

“It is already in the Urban Footprint and is the only major development area designated in South East Queensland.

“It will have better active, road and public transport than Halls Creek and the Sunshine Coast Direct Line rail corridor runs through Beerwah East, providing direct public transport access to the Maroochydore City Centre and Brisbane.

“In contrast, the increased population at Halls Creek would put added pressure on the already congested Bruce Highway.

“Any proposal to build another road to accommodate Halls Creek traffic would further impact on the environment and cost billions – money which could be spent elsewhere such as on social housing or other public transport solutions.

“The loss of any part of the Glasshouse/Pumicestone Inter-Urban Break, which includes Halls Creek and associated transport infrastructure, would significantly reduce its overall environmental, social and economic values.”

“That’s an outcome our Sunshine Coast residents, our Council and, indeed, the rest of South East Queensland would never wish to see.”

Fast Facts:

• The Stockland referral to the EPBC has no lawful basis and is premature.
• It is inconsistent with the planning framework and does not disclose that the development on Halls Creek is prohibited under the Planning Regulation.
• Stockland purchased the land on speculation. It has always been zoned for rural and conservation purposes and still is.
• Developing Halls Creek would pose a high risk of unacceptable environmental impacts on the Pumicestone Passage and Ramsar Wetlands.
• Sunshine Coast Council and before that, Caloundra City Council, and our community have always been opposed to this land being developed. This environmental land needs to be protected for future generations.
• A substantive environmental rehabilitation program was to be completed on the Halls Creek area to absorb the impacts of the Caloundra South development and to improve the condition of the lower Pumicestone Passage catchment.
• The developer has approval to build lots for homes at Caloundra South that would accommodate around another 15,000 people on approved, yet undeveloped lots.
• Beerwah East will provide sufficient greenfield housing supply well beyond 2046, able to house more than 50,000 people.
• It will have better active, road and public transport than Halls Creek. The Sunshine Coast Direct Line rail corridor runs through Beerwah East, providing direct public transport access to Maroochydore City Centre and Brisbane.
• The increased population at Halls Creek would put added pressure on the already congested Bruce Highway.