Sunshine Coast builds two new mega suburbs

The Sunshine Coast has begun building its largest-ever residential development – two new huge mega suburbs.

The Harmony residential development will see 5000 new homes build for 15,000 residents in order to tackle south Queensland’s bulging population growth.

Not only will the project bring new properties to the area, it’ll also create 9000 full and part-time jobs during its construction and following completion.

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According to Domain Group, it’s the second-largest new master-planned residential estate for the Sunshine Coast in 12 months meaning homes for an extra 62,000 to 65,000 residents on the Sunshine Coast in a collective $8 billion investment by two property developers.

The former Caloundra South project – now Stockland’s $5 billion Aura development – was started in October 2015.

Aura, on Caloundra’s southern shoulder, is hoped to eventually be home to 50,000 residents – the size of Gladstone.

It follows comments by respected social geographer Bob Stimson in 2015 that “12 Springfields” were needed to cope with south-east Queensland’s population growth, which will add 2.2 million people over the next 25 years.

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Springfield is a master-planned community south of Ipswich that was launched in 1992 and now has about 30,000 residents in five suburbs.

The Queensland government has put in $5 million as a loan.

“The $5 million committed in loan funding from the state will accelerate the delivery of water and sewerage infrastructure to the development,” she said.

Sunshine Coast Council will put in $9 million towards the $18 million to build Peter Crosby Way and a bridge by extending Claymore Drive over Sippy Creek leading into the large new suburb.

What the Harmony development includes

• 4800 to 5000 homes for 12,000 future residents;

• 100 hectares of open space within the 385 hectare site;

• the Sunshine Coast Environment Council questioned the impact on Eastern Grey kangaroos;

• a future delivery of a 15,250 square metre “town centre”, with higher density living, with mixed retail and small business;

• a department store in preliminary planning;

• a future pool is considered.