FAQs

The role of the Northern Marine Precinct is to support the city’s marine sector by providing additional land for employment growth. The project area has the potential to accommodate additional marina, dry stack storage, marine maintenance, and service facilities to meet growing regional demand for recreational boating.

A Master plan will guide land use changes and infrastructure to support the project area’s capacity to develop for marine-based industry.

The Northern Marine Precinct is one of only a few locations in South East Queensland that has the required characteristics to support and accommodate the expansion of marine industry. Marine industry has been located here since the mid-1970s, and policy and legislative changes have been made previously to support its growth in the area.

The project area is already host to a range of specialist marine businesses and includes land with direct waterfront access. Also acknowledged is its proximity to the Moreton Bay Marine Park, a popular location used for recreational boating activities.

A marine precinct is a defined area for co-locating business in marine manufacturing, servicing, berthing, storage, repairs and refits of vessels, and ancillary uses. It is reflected in the Gold Coast City Plan through a Waterfront and marine industry zoning.

Previous investigations have confirmed the opportunity for marine industry growth in Steiglitz, with policy and legislative changes already in place to support this precinct. In late 2021, Council resolved to undertake investigations into master planning the Northern Marine Precinct. Stage 1 began in early 2022 with a Preliminary planning investigation report prepared. Preliminary technical investigations commenced in early 2023.

Changes to City Plan will be required in future to realise any recommended development outcomes as a result of the master planning project when completed. The timing of future City Plan changes is subject to ongoing review and the outcomes of each stage of the master planning project.

The timing of development within the Precinct will be determined and delivered by the market after future amendments are adopted into a new version of City Plan. Future works by the market are projected to commence gradually in 5-10 years time.

It is acknowledged that there are existing businesses and dwellings within the project area. The master planning process will consider these and how they relate to future master planning outcomes.

To ensure the views and ideas of landowners and business operators are captured and reflected in these outcomes, participation in community engagement activities for the project is encouraged.

There will be multiple opportunities for the community to be part of the project, including initial engagement with property owners in the project area, marine and agricultural industry stakeholders, and the wider Steiglitz community in early to mid 2023. Further community engagement activities are planned from late 2023 onwards, with those interested in participating encouraged to subscribe to project updates via the Northern Marine Precinct web page.

In planning for a future marine precinct, it is important to understand the needs and opportunities of marine industry stakeholders. Stakeholder engagement with peak marine industry bodies and boating association representatives may be sought to help inform the early technical assessment stage of the project, for example the marine industry needs assessment.

Land use planning will consider future employment opportunities by ensuring that land can support the economic aspirations of the City including the Council Plan 2022-2027 and the Economic Strategy 2022-2027. The potential expansion of development opportunities in the Northern Marine Precinct provides a significant opportunity to support new businesses, innovation and jobs in the northern Gold Coast area, building on the established Gold Coast marine industry.

The project area covers approximately 190 hectares and focuses on land with or adjoining waterfront access. The area is within the existing urban footprint shown in the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2017 (ShapingSEQ).

A Western expansion area is acknowledged in the Preliminary planning investigation report but would be subject to longer term strategic planning investigations and would require a change to the existing urban footprint, and therefore is outside the scope of this project. The Master plan will not seek to investigate or plan this area other than to consider whether future waterway access and infrastructure connectivity from the precinct can be facilitated in a holistic manner.

The extractive resources (designated Key Resource Area 65) to the north west have been identified as an opportunity to support potential future marine development opportunities post extraction, however this is also outside the scope of this project.

The Northern Marine Precinct Master plan is a separate project to the Yatala-Stapylton Industrial Land Expansion investigation. The Master plan is focused on marine industry land and employment opportunities within the defined project area in Steiglitz.

The interface between the existing Cabbage Tree Point residential area and future marine industry land is acknowledged, and the project will explore how best to mitigate potential conflicts. Options will be investigated in the technical assessment stage and through future engagement.

The project has the potential to deliver broader benefits to the area, including the Cabbage Tree Point community, and could include improved access to services, employment opportunities and infrastructure. Cabbage Tree Point residents will be encouraged to participate in future project engagement activities to share local insights and provide feedback.

Potential impacts to the environment will be investigated as part of the technical assessment stage of this project. The master planning process will include consultation with State and Federal Governments on environmental matters, acknowledging the project area’s interface with the Moreton Bay Marine Park and the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park, part of the Moreton Bay Ramsar wetland.

The project area includes land currently zoned Rural under the Gold Coast City Plan. Changes made to the South East Queensland Regional Plan urban footprint in 2008 support future use of Rural zoned land within the project area for marine industry activities. Rural activities, including cane production and aquaculture, have been considered through early project stages and acknowledged within the Preliminary planning investigation report. This includes the identification of potential impacts, as well as potential opportunities which may provide future benefits for these activities.

Agricultural land within and adjacent to the project area will continue to be a key consideration throughout the master planning process, and there will be multiple opportunities for agricultural industry stakeholders to be engaged in planning for the Northern Marine Precinct.

The City is committed to supporting the future growth of its high value industries which includes the marine sector. The Gold Coast marine sector is the largest in the State and the seventh largest in Australia, and currently supports over 4600 local jobs.

The Northern Marine Precinct is intended to complement the Gold Coast Marine Precinct at Coomera by providing new development opportunities for businesses as the industry continues to grow. The Marine Precinct at Coomera currently specialises in servicing and manufacturing a broad range of vessels including super yachts and has been an economic success for the Gold Coast. Work will be undertaken to identify the future mix of marine activities and associated infrastructure opportunities (including boating access and channel maintenance infrastructure) to support the Northern Marine Precinct.

The project area has a long history of hosting marine based uses and the longstanding strategic planning intent for this area has been for marine industry. It is acknowledged that there are existing residents and non-marine businesses within and surrounding the project area and that the Northern Marine Precinct will take many years to plan and develop.

A Master plan will guide land use changes to support the project area’s capacity to develop for marine-based industry. It is ultimately up to individual landowners whether they act on any land use changes in the future.

The Master plan outcome will seek to balance the views of all stakeholders, with planned community engagement activities an important part of the master planning process.

Changes to City Plan will be required in future to realise any recommended development outcomes as a result of the master planning project when completed.

Submissions from the community will be invited on changes as part of the statutory plan-making process. The timing of future City Plan changes is subject to ongoing review and the outcomes of each stage of the master planning project.

Email: nmps@goldcoast.qld.gov.au

Website: cityofgoldcoast.com.au/nmps