Townsville City Council has released a new round of tenders for the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct at Woodstock.
It follows Council receiving notice from the State Government that it could adopt the major planning scheme amendment, with conditions.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said potential proponents can now submit tenders for the precinct with confidence that the precinct is zoned appropriately.
"Council welcomed the State Government's approval for the proposed amendment to the Lansdown Precinct and it's great that we received it in time for the latest tender round to go ahead," Cr Hill said.
"This allows our current project partners to move ahead with their projects and any potential proponents to submit a proposal with confidence that the precinct is the right location for them.
"Council has committed to Lansdown being established as an environmentally sustainable, advanced manufacturing, processing and technology estate and we're looking for proponents that will fit this bill.
"Lansdown is really significant to the city with the potential for thousands of jobs to be created which would be a huge boost to our economy and bring new skills to the community, particularly when the local economy is suffering because of the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic."
The tender process will close on 30 June and give preference to proposals that are in line with planning objectives of the precinct including:
- Best-practice, low-emission, energy-efficient ecologically sensitive industrial development;
- Innovative and dynamic enterprises that support the creation of new job opportunities for Townsville residents;
- Co-location of industrial uses, such as advanced manufacturing, processing and technology, with supporting and complementary enterprises that grow the domestic and international profile of Townsville; and
- Minimising adverse amenity impacts upon lands outside the precinct.
Planning and Development Committee Chair Cr Les Walker said the tender stage is just the first part of the process and potential project partners would still have to seek development approval.
"The tender process is really about conditionally committing land to projects that fit within the expected outcomes for the precinct – all of these proponents will still have to meet all relevant development approvals.
"Council is also moving ahead with the groundwater study that we have commissioned that will provide base line information on the groundwater resources and inform development proposals for the precinct.
"We're undertaking this survey to address concerns raised by the community and we will also be implementing an ongoing groundwater monitoring program once this study has been completed."
Council is also progressing the design and construction of critical trunk infrastructure to service the site in the future.
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