Park Ridge potential to be unlocked

A strategy by City of Logan to fast-track the development of commercial and industrial land to create jobs and attract new business will turn its focus to Park Ridge.

Council commenced its Next Generation Employments Lands Strategy in 2017. The project is designed to promote and facilitate the development of mixed-use, low-impact and medium-impact industry zoned land to provide greater certainty for business, investors and the community.

A key strategic action of the project is to undertake a Park Ridge economic corridor study to efficiently design and deliver infrastructure. The industry zoned area in Park Ridge forms an integral part of the major enterprise and industrial area defined in the Regional Plan of State Government (ShapingSEQ).

Park Ridge and Priority Development Areas Yarrabilba and Greater Flagstone collectively account for 45 per cent of the city’s economic growth, or almost 30,000 jobs, of the projected employment of 66,000 jobs for the city by 2041.

Council’s Director of Strategy and Sustainability David Hansen, said Park Ridge remains undeveloped and untested in the market.

“It is important to undertake more detailed land use and infrastructure planning to increase investor confidence and protect the industrial zoned area from encroachment,” he said.

“Failure to do so will result in Logan losing its regional competitiveness in the supply of major industrial zoned land within the next five to10 years.”

Mr Hansen said Park Ridge risked missing out on vital infrastructure investment unless this strategy is developed and implemented to ensure its future competitiveness.

“For Park Ridge to remain competitive, the efficient design and delivery of infrastructure, including roads, needs to be further explored. Issues such as improved accessibility for the north-south connectivity are essential to attract new industrial development,” he said.

“We want to develop a market-ready industrial land bank and Park Ridge is a crucial component of the strategy.”

Mr Hansen also noted some developer uncertainty brought on by a lack of detail around the timing and delivery of the proposed Park Ridge Connector by the State Government.