Project update #1: January 2, 2020

Preferred site identified

Mackay Regional Council CEO Craig Doyle said council had identified a preferred site for the planned Northern Beaches Hub.

He said council was now working to secure the site with an aim of finalising land acquisition and master planning for the project by mid-2020.

“Council has allocated budget in this financial year to progress concept design and identify and finalise land options,” Mr Doyle said.

“The final costs are still being finalised and will depend on land options, cost of construction and scope, but at this stage we have $6.5M of Federal funding approved for the project,” he said.

“Other sources of funding could include State funding and council.

“We are very close to finalising the land acquisition and this will allow master planning of that particular site, which would then lead to concept and detailed design phases in the second half of 2020.”

Mr Doyle said, at this stage, any forecasting of final project costs involved high level estimates.

“We’re still finalising the scope of stage one of this project,” he said.

“We have undertaken a number of business case and external reviews of the types of facilities and activities that could be provided based on current and future population and demographics in the Northern Beaches.”