INFRASTRUCTURE CORRIDOR DECLARED

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Paul Lucas, today announced the declaration of a 90 kilometre infrastructure corridor from Stanwell to Gladstone as a State Development Area.

The corridor will run from Stanwell and connect up to the existing Gladstone State Development Area at The Narrows Road, Mt Larcom.

“This is smart planning for Queensland’s future, designed to maintain growth in this booming region,” said Mr Lucas.

“The corridor will house pipelines capable of transporting water, gas and mineral slurries or shielding telecommunication cables.

“Setting this corridor aside now will guarantee the best possible connection between Gladstone’s industrial area and the Stanwell Energy Park for years to come.

“Securing strategic land easements for vital industries saves time and money and should allow benefits to be passed onto consumers and other businesses.

“Discussions with potential users have already begun, the Gladstone Area Water Board is investigating the corridor for its Rockhampton to Gladstone water pipeline.

“There is also potential for Gladstone Pacific Nickel and Central Queensland gas pipeline projects.”

The proposed Stanwell-Gladstone Infrastructure Corridor will be typically 100m wide, but up to 500m across in sections where construction is complex.

“This route has been designed to reduce impacts on farming activities, maintain the viability of land holdings and minimise effects on the environment,” said Mr Lucas.

“A key design of this corridor is that once the easement has been identified and compensation paid to landowners then farming activities such as grazing can continue on affected properties.

“A new development scheme will now be prepared to allow the Coordinator-General to manage land uses in the corridor.”

Media contact: Matthew Klar 0437 435 223