Developers flock to hear about PDA Stadium plan sparks sellout

IT will be standing room only at an event in Townsville tomorrow for the development industry to hear about the Townsville City Council’s Townsville Waterfront Priority Development Area.

The meeting, hosted by the Townsville branch of the Urban Development Institute of Australia at Rydges Southbank, is sold out.

The institute’s Townsville branch president, Andrew Wallace, said industry was keen to hear about the development scheme. Mr Wallace said it was a catalytic project for Townsville.

“The Townsville Waterfront Priority Development Area is a catalytic project for Townsville and could be the precursor to a multitude of development and communitybuilding opportunities,” Mr Wallace said. “The proposed Integrated Stadium and Entertainment Centre would be central to the PDA and has the potential to encourage investment, jobs and new development in the city.”

Mr Wallace said the industry was looking to the council and State Government to remove barriers to development.

“To ensure the PDA is effective, the role of Economic Development Queensland and Townsville City Council in carrying out the necessary planning and pre- development works, such as engineering and landholding constraints, is very important,” Mr Wallace said.

“We look forward to this project’s potential to have a similar impact and place in the community’s heart as The Strand and becoming a city icon of which we can all be proud.”

Mayor Jenny Hill said council officers would outline the aims of the draft development scheme and were looking for feedback from the community, including the development industry, during the consultation period.

“It’s about getting the message out there and explaining the concept to people,” Cr Hill said.

“We will be asking people if they think the concept is right and, if not, where it can be improved.”

Cr Hill said she had met with State Development Minister Anthony Lynham last week and had discussed some innovative ways the Integrated Stadium and Entertainment Centre project could be funded.

The priority development area covers 97ha of land and water on both sides of Ross Creek.