Bells Creek Arterial Road construction begins
Stockland is making good on its $1.3 billion Infrastructure Agreement to support the development of Aura with an immediate investment of $25 million and the commencement of construction this week on the first stage of the Bells Creek Arterial Road.
The Bells Creek Arterial Road will be developed in three major stages over the next ten years as the Aura community grows, with Stockland investing a total of $115 million in the road. It will become the major arterial road running through Aura,ultimately connecting to the recently completed Bells Creek Road Interchange on the Bruce Highway.
The first stage of work will see the construction of a new 2.8 kilometre section of the two-lane road, extending south from the Caloundra Road Roundabout near the Sunshine Coast Turf Club through the Aura Development Area and linking up to Bellvista Boulevard near Bells Reach. Work starts on site today and it is expected to take around 14 months to complete the first section of the road.
In accordance with the master plan approval for Aura, Stockland is responsible for the delivery of the road on behalf of the Department of Transport and Main Roads(DTMR). Following a competitive tending process, Stockland has appointed a local firm, Shadforths Civil Contractors, to build the road.
“The Bells Creek Arterial Road will alleviate traffic congestion on Bellvista Boulevard by providing a second access road for residents and visitors to the Bellvista and Bells Reach communities,” added Mr Andrew.
Ray Shadforth, founder and director of Shadforths Civil Contractors, said: “The Bells Creek Arterial Road is an exciting project that will be welcomed by the residents of the Bells Reach and Bellvista communities.
“This project, along with other works we are doing in this area, is helping to grow our business on the Sunshine Coast. We’ll employ approximately 40 local people on this project and we look forward to partnering with Stockland, DTMR and other government authorities to deliver a new road to support what will become one of the greatest communities in Australia,” he added.
Alignment of the first stage of the road has been designed to provide a minimum distance of 72 metres and a buffer of up to 295 metres from residential properties. Existing vegetation between adjacent properties and the road corridor will be retained, with clearance work restricted to the actual road corridor. An acoustic barrier along a section of the road will also be constructed to attenuate road noise. A pedestrian and cycle path will also be included within the road corridor.
Key facts about Aura
- Aura will occupy 24 square kilometres (2,360 hectares) of land with the new development front starting south of Lamerough Creek near Stockland’s existing Bells Reach community, and ultimately stretching west and south to meet the Bruce Highway at the new Bell’s Creek Interchange.
- Stockland will deliver 20,000 dwellings at Aura, becoming home to around 50,000 people over the next 30 years.
- The community will include a new city centre and retail hub, a Southbank style urban parkland, an elite sporting and performance precinct and two business and enterprise parks.
- Aura will include 10 separate sporting grounds, in addition to parks and playgrounds within easy walking distance of every home, 20 schools and education centres.
- More than 700 hectares, nearly one-third of the site, will be rehabilitated and designated as conservation and environmental protection land.
- Stockland will invest more than $1 billion over the first 10 years of the project. The total value of the project is $5 billion.
- Aura will generate direct and indirect jobs for more than 1,700 people in the first year alone and create 18,500 direct and indirect jobs over the first 10 years of the project.
- Earlier this year, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) endorsed the master plan for Aura by accrediting the project with the highly coveted 6 Star Green Star – Communities rating. The rating signifies ‘world leadership’ for the design of the future city.
- Stockland’s master plan has achieved the highest possible standards for the future community’s long-term economic prosperity, ‘liveability’ and environmental responsibility during, and well after construction is completed and the community is established.
About Stockland
Stockland (ASX: SGP) was founded in 1952 and has grown to become Australia’s largest diversified property group – owning, developing and managing a large portfolio of shopping centres, residential communities, retirement living villages, office and industrial assets. Stockland was recognised by the S&P Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) as the as the global real estate sector leader for 2015-16, demonstrating world leadership across the areas of stakeholder engagement, customer relationship management, supply chain management, biodiversity and climate change strategy. Stockland was recognised as the Regional Sector Leader for Listed, Australian, Diversified Property Companies in the 2015 GRESB Report. www.stockland.com.au
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