We got some good news last week – and it came straight from the top.
The Deputy Premier of Queensland, Jarrod Bleijie, visited Chambers Flat to announce $135.98 million for our city’s next wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).
It’s the kind of funding that immediately changes the game for our city.
Wastewater isn’t sexy infrastructure – but if you can’t have flushing toilets you can’t have new homes.
A state-of-the-art WWTP for Chambers Flat has been in our development pipeline for years. We know that as our city grows, so will demand for this type of infrastructure.
Because we’d done the groundwork early, we were ready to act the moment funding became available – allowing us to secure more than half of the total funding allocated to all of South East Queensland.
Thanks to the Queensland Government’s Residential Activation Fund, announced as part of the recent State Budget, we’re now on the fast track.
The State’s contribution will cover the cost of the WWTP itself, and contributions from developers will fund the $200m needed to connect our growth fronts to the new plant.
The first stage of the WWTP, to be completed in 2028, will make sure that we have enough wastewater capacity to support the 20,000 homes planned for Yarrabilba, followed by Park Ridge and surrounding areas in the coming decade.
The project’s future stages will ultimately support over 60,000 homes in our city.
Without support from the State, we would’ve faced an impossible choice in coming years, to ask ratepayers to foot a massive infrastructure bill so that we could continue to deliver homes through the housing crisis.
Instead, Logan can continue to welcome more people and jobs to our city, without asking existing residents to pay the cost.
Before the State election, I asked both sides of politics to increase the infrastructure charge cap which limits what we can ask developers to pay for trunk infrastructure.
They both said no.
But Premier David Crisafulli promised to help with the cost of critical infrastructure, and with this funding he has kept that promise.
We’re looking forward to partnering with the State Government on this and future projects, especially around our major roads and public transport, in the lead up to the Olympics.
