Police stick to guns on Gordonvale site

NORTH Queensland’s top cop has defended the decision to base a new Gordonvale police station out of town.

Tensions are rising between the State Government and Cairns Regional Council over the $4.5 million building’s planned location on the opposite side of the Bruce Highway to Gordonvale township.

“What they’re doing ultimately is facilitating the demise of Gordonvale,” Mayor Bob Manning said.

“It’s like the (Planning and Environment Court) Woolworths decision where you take something that should be within the town precinct and move it to the other side of the highway.”

The council has flexed its political muscle in a letter to Treasurer Curtis Pitt and the Public Safety Business Agency rejecting the proposed site.

It states the ambulance, fire station and police had all either moved out of the town centre in recent years or planned to do so.

But Assistant Commissioner Paul Taylor said the 6000sq m Draper St location provided best value for money, rejecting the council’s claims of minimal consultation.

“I can understand the council’s concerns, but our interest is to make sure as a police service we are able to deliver to the whole community, not just the CBD,” he said.

“I’m more than happy to fully explain to council why we’ve chosen that space, but there was earlier consultation.”

The State Government originally gifted the council’s preferred Sheppards St site to the council for community use.

It was already masterplanned for use as a sporting field in future upgrades to the Alley Park, but Cr Manning said the council was willing to give it up for the greater good.

He rejected the idea water and electricity connections would blow out the $4.5 million project’s budget and leave police with an inferior home base.

“Nobody came to us about that. The school is there, houses are there. I don’t see the big issue,” he said.

“We’re talking about a few dollars involved in this development, it’s not a small project.

“I think the government is waffling around a bit here.

“We’re charged with administering good planning regimes for our towns and our cities. All we ask is for the State Government to respect that.”

Mr Taylor said situating the police station on the highway would allow police to quickly respond to emergencies in all directions.

“Interestingly (the Draper St location) is only 500m from the council’s preferred site,” he said.

“There are a number of smaller communities outside Gordonvale that are also the responsibility of that division.”

The station is expected to be built and operational by the end of the year.

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