09 Mar A guest blog from Project Urban!
WHAT AN EXCITING TIME TO BE ON THE SUNSHINE COAST!
Andrew Stevens – Managing Director – Project Urban
There are numerous significant projects that are driving the Sunshine Coast economy to a point where we are outperforming our southern neighbours. Those projects, like the University Hospital, Aura, Palmview and our future Smart City Centre at Maroochydore SunCentral, are continuing to develop and are becoming part of the new Sunshine Coast reality.
In this piece, I highlight two more game-changing projects that are coming to fruition. Projects that are, and will continue to, inject millions of dollars into our economy, providing job opportunities and prosperity to our region, and ensuring the Sunshine Coast is an attractive investment opportunity now and into the future.
Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion Project
The Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion Project is one of the most significant construction projects on the coast. The new runway is scheduled to open in May 2020 and will be another significant milestone for the coast. The project includes construction and operation of the new runway, a revised apron and an expanded passenger terminal.
The airport expansion will allow more flights, including international flights, to more destinations across Australia, Asia and the Western Pacific, enhancing national and global connections. It will deliver major economic and social benefits, like jobs, export opportunities and tourism growth. Importantly, the expanded airport provides the opportunity to export the Sunshine Coast brand and our products to the world.
Imagine the possibilities for our emerging food markets if we could air freight directly into Asia from the Sunshine Coast, like locally grown tomatoes, strawberries, macadamia, dairy products, pineapples and avocados. The Toowoomba airport recently sent its first trial flight to Hong Kong, exporting beef, nuts, mangoes chicken and lettuce. The Toowoomba produce was in local restaurants within 20 hours of leaving the airport.
International Submarine Broadband Cable
The new international submarine cable has recently landed in Maroochydore. The Sunshine Coast submarine connection is the only regional centre in Australia to offer direct international broadband connectivity to global markets. We will be the closest digital connection in Australia to the leading markets of Asia and the United States.
The cable connection is expected to generate a staggering $927 million to the State’s annual economy with a significant percentage of this investment coming directly to the Sunshine Coast.
The Sunshine Coast, long reliant on the construction and tourism industries, can broaden its economic base and become an enticing location for an expanded white collar economy that will benefit from the greater speed and bandwidth the cable and landing location provides. Businesses will want to locate here as well as other industries that are heavily reliant on online transactions. It will also be a game changer for the Sunshine Coast University hospital in undertaking remote diagnostics and clinical treatments.
Currently, there are only five connections into Australia with four going into Sydney and one into Perth.
As I highlighted earlier, what an exciting time to be on the Sunshine Coast!
To find out more about how IBN Private and Project Urban can work together to support your development requirements, contact us here.