Master Plan Focus On Regions Outdoor Economy

Moreton Bay Regional Council is asking local residents and business owners to help shape the growth of the region's outdoor economy.�

Council has invited Planning and Design consultants to prepare a Master Plan for the Redcliffe foreshore that aims to grow and develop the economic potential of the iconic seaside area. The successful tenderer will be appointed by mid-October and will be required to conduct community consultation to inform the draft plan it presents to council.

Mayor Allan Sutherland said a growing number of commercial operators had expressed interest in establishing businesses along the foreshore, and the Master Plan would help shape how the area would be used in the future, while establishing a fair and transparent approval framework.

More and more operators are telling us they want to set up shop along the foreshore, with every business model you can imagine, from mobile coffee carts, inflatable aquatic fun parks, kayak hire tents, outdoor massage tables, aqua bike rentals, and ice-cream vendors to fast food trucks. Itinerant and outdoor vending is a growth industry,� Mayor Sutherland said.

We need a Master Plan that strikes the right balance between the interests of existing businesses along the foreshore, with their bricks and mortar overheads, and promoting new business ventures and better utilisation of our incredible foreshore areas.

Some areas along the foreshore will be more suitable for commercial use than others, and some sorts of commercial activity may not be suitable at all, and these are all things that will need to be determined.�

Division Six Councillor, Koliana Winchester said the Master Plan project would build on work already done by council including a $24 million redevelopment, Stage 1 and 2 of Bee Gees Way and road upgrades to enhance the Redcliffe foreshore area.

Council has already done a lot of work planning for the future of the foreshore with respect to infrastructure and aesthetics, with capital works already underway, so this Master Plan work will focus on identifying potential locations, opportunities, constraints and mechanisms for the use of the foreshore areas in the best interest of the community.�

For this reason, council wants to appoint a design and planning expert that will consult extensively with local residents, businesses and chambers of commerce to create a Master Plan that works for everyone in the region.

This is about making it easier for operators to apply for opportunities along the Redcliffe foreshore and eventually other outdoor areas across the region, and easier for council to make decisions on what's best for the community, because we'll have a clear framework to guide our deliberations.��

The initial Redcliffe Foreshore Master Plan and Activation Strategy will focus on a large area that includes foreshore areas in Scarborough, Redcliffe, Margate, Woody Point and Clontarf.