Project scale

20,000 dwellings (7,286 within Precinct 1) 3,919ha incorporating:

• 45,000m2 commercial and retail
• Over 2,000ha open space
• Golf course and lakes

Summary of project

Flinders is located 50 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD and 90 kilometres west of the Gold Coast, within the City of Logan. The Queensland Government has included 1,000ha of the site in a Priority Development Area. The intention is that it provide short term residential land supply that is affordable and sustainable as well as employment, educational and recreation land use opportunities.

Achievement of a Priority Development Area designation followed 15 years of master planning, site analysis and negotiation with various State Governments. The designation has provided the ability to carry out detailed land use planning and infrastructure network planning that has culminated in development approvals that achieve 7,286 dwellings and a population of 18,000 as well as a range of commercial, industrial, retail, recreation and tourism uses for the “eastern” precinct of Flinders.

Securing approvals for the first 1,000ha, along with further consultation and detailed planning work has enabled the client to achieve the support of the local Council and the Deputy Premier for inclusion of the balance of the site within a Priority Development Area.

Ultimately, Flinders will accommodate a population of 40,000 people with Mortons – Urban Solutions providing project coordination, planning and civil engineering services to the 30+year master planned development.

Status

A number of complex planning approvals have been obtained. These have involved extensive negotiation with a number of state and local government agencies. Achievement of the approvals will enable on-site works to commence in 2021:

State Government (EDQ)

• Development Approval (Material Change of Use – MCU) for 7,286 dwellings within Precinct 1.
• Development Approval (Reconfiguration of Lot – ROL) for 5 management ‘super’ lots within the first stage of Precinct 1.
• Detailed Civil Design Endorsement for 7km of external road infrastructure.
• Development Approval and Environmental Licence for a temporary onsite Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Development applications (Reconfiguration of Lot – ROL) for the first neighbourhoods (approx. 3,000 dwellings) are currently being negotiated with the State Government.

Local Government (LCC & SRRC)

• Section 242 Preliminary Approval (Material Change of Use – MCU) for additional 12,800 dwellings within the Flinders Lakes Balance Land.
• Development Approval (MCU) Utility – Major for effluent irrigation.
• Various other Development Approvals (Eco-tourism resort, forestry, intensive agriculture & extractive industry).

Services provided by Mortons – Urban Solutions

• Project Coordination
• Master Planning and Town Planning
• Programming and budgeting
• Preliminary and Detailed Engineering Design
• Self-certification of Engineering Design
• Construction Administration

Planning and engineering issues

The site and the scale of the development present numerous challenges that have required the coordination of a team of consultants. Some key challenges include:

• Negotiating development rights for a site that was outside of the designated urban footprint.
• Collaborating with a range of State agencies.
• Planning road, sewer and water networks and connecting to existing services that were remote from the site in an efficient and cost effective manner.
• Obtaining approval for an onsite sewage treatment plant and investigating options to reuse treated effluent on site – including assessment of a pressure sewer.
• Achieving a diversity of lot and dwelling types ranging from 70m2 to 600m2 in the urban parts of the site and up to 4,000m2 in the more constrained and transitional areas.
• Establishing a site layout that responds to site characteristics and achieves walkable neighbourhoods focused on employment generating uses, education and open space.
• Managing the environmental values of the site.
• Managing and promoting the cultural heritage attributes of the site in collaboration with local indigenous groups; and
• Managing interim uses of the site to achieve revenue streams to offset holding and development costs.

Key Deliverables

• Developable area plans based on constraint analysis to form the basis of master plans.
• Preliminary Engineering drawings.
• Preliminary earthworks review over site to determine serviceable land.
• Detailed Engineering drawings of earthworks, roadworks, stormwater, sewer & water networks, erosion & sediment control and water sensitive urban design; and
• Contract administration (including documentation, tender works and construction supervision).