Moreton Bay Regional Council is working to better understand the environmental health impacts and economic value of the Narangba Innovation Precinct to guide future planning decisions about development in and around the precinct.
Located to the east and west of the Bruce Highway, the precinct is a major enterprise and industrial area catering for large-scale, hard-to-locate industries and is a significant contributor to the Moreton Bay region's economy.
Over time, the area surrounding the precinct has changed and Council is looking to develop a land use policy position to respond to this. A land use policy position is about having a direction for how an area will develop in the future. Any future policy position will need to balance the protection and viability of industry activities in the precinct with the safety, health and amenity of surrounding areas.
The policy position will be informed by environmental health and economic value investigations into the industrial activities and operations in the precinct. This will in turn inform any potential future amendment to Council’s current planning scheme, the Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC) Planning Scheme 2016.
This study is being undertaken in response to the Queensland Government’s Narangba Innovation Precinct (East) Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI)(External link), which was implemented by the Planning Minister in July 2020.
Council is committed to a process that relies on accurate and up-to-date data and information from a range of investigations and stakeholder feedback to understand what is happening within and around the precinct.
Council has engaged independent consultants to undertake the environmental health and economic value investigations and stakeholder and community engagement components of this study.
An initial review of existing environmental health studies and air quality monitoring data has been undertaken. This has found that further technical investigations are required into the current operating conditions within and around the precinct. This is mainly due to the changes that have occurred both within and around the precinct over many years. These investigations are currently underway and include updated assessments of air quality, noise, health and fire/explosion risk.
A key study that formed part of the initial review was the Narangba Industrial Estate Health Impact Assessment(External link), prepared by Queensland Health in 2011. Since then, some industries have expanded, relocated or changed the way they operate, and residential development has continued to occur. Relevant legislation, guidelines and standards have also changed. The environmental health investigations will respond to these changes within and around the precinct.
As part of this work, Council’s consultant, SLR Consulting, will be measuring noise levels within, and background noise around, the precinct. SLR is identifying locations to place noise monitoring equipment (these will be small boxes) on public land which may be visible to the public. The equipment is expected to be installed in early June 2021 and will remain in place for up to two weeks, pending weather conditions.
The economic value investigations are being undertaken from January to July 2021 and will explore the contribution of industries and businesses within the precinct to the local economy. This work will identify their current economic function and benefits, including employment, productivity and value generated.
The future potential economic contribution of the precinct will also be investigated under a scenario that assumes new or expanded industries can occur.
The findings of the technical investigations will enable Council to better plan for, and make decisions about, future development within the precinct and its surrounds, using the best available information.
For example, findings may support changes to the types of new industries that can be established and existing industries that may be able to expand in the precinct, whilst continuing to protect the health, safety and amenity of nearby residential areas and the environment.
When Council has completed the current investigations, our next steps will be determined. At this point, Council will let you know how we will engage with the community and stakeholders as part of the response to the TLPI.
Council encourages you to register your interest in the study to be kept updated and notified about any future opportunities to have your say.
You can do this by visiting here.