The Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct has been deemed a prescribed project, paving the way for a significant green manufacturing hub and a new age of growth for North Queensland, as declared by Deputy Premier Steven Miles.
The announcement would expedite the delivery of the infrastructure necessary for the 2,500-hectare precinct that is taking shape 40 kilometres south of the Townsville CBD, according to a media release.
Over the next 20 years, Townsville City Council intends to develop the estate into an environmentally sustainable, advanced manufacturing, processing, and technology hub.
As part of the prescribed project, the Coordinator-General will collaborate with the Townsville City Council to provide additional coordination and structure an approach to de-risk infrastructure planning and accelerate the precinct’s investment readiness.
The declaration will also give the council more support from the state government to complete the substantial project, the release stated.
The development of rail and road connections, the delivery of water to the precinct, and the creation of internal road networks to assist potential project proponents are among the enabling infrastructure works necessary to develop the precinct.
In turn, the precinct will bring a surge in local employment, with roughly 5,000 jobs created during construction and an estimated 1,600 direct jobs and 9,100 indirect jobs after projects are operational.
It will serve as a hub for emerging industries like the production of innovative batteries and renewable hydrogen, and six businesses have already agreed to use the location for their operations, according to the media release.
Queensland Pacific Metals (QPM) is one of the firms that chose the Lansdown precinct as the future location of its proposed $2.1 billion Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub project.
QPM intends to process 1.5 million tonnes of ore per year in order to produce critical materials for use in next-generation batteries.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the declaration is great news for jobs in North Queensland as the state implements its Energy and Jobs initiative.
“The Lansdown precinct will be a state-of-the-art industrial hub and generate over 15,000 direct and indirect jobs from construction through to operation,” Palaszczuk noted.
Meanwhile, Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct is a great illustration of the state’s strategy in action and its advancements toward Queensland’s future as a superpower in renewable energy.
“Townsville is poised to become a leader in advanced manufacturing and renewable energy – and this precinct is the game-changer to make it happen,” Miles added.
The Australian and Queensland governments, in collaboration with Townsville City Council, are funding the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct.
The government said it was identified as the top project priority arising from the Townsville City Deal, which has all levels of government committed to driving new industries and export growth for the city.
