The Lansdown Industrial Precinct has reached another milestone with two new companies seeking to co-locate within the precinct.
Townsville City Council sought proposals from potential business partners in a tender process that closed on 10 July.
Pure Minerals Limited and Edify Energy have both reached the next stage of the tender process subject to negotiations over conditions for the land.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said it was great to have so much interest in the Lansdown Precinct from advanced manufacturing and renewables.
"The Lansdown Industrial Precinct is off to a promising start with Pure Minerals and Edify Energy indicating they would like to be involved in this development," Cr Hill said.
"The call for business partners was a major milestone for the development of the Industrial Precinct and these companies bring the potential to create thousands of jobs in advanced manufacturing.
"This is another step in the process to activate Lansdown with industries that deliver a major economic boost for the city, but with limited impacts on the local area.
"Once Council and these companies have reached an agreement for conditions on the land, the next stage will be to go through the development application process."
The tender process gave preference to proposals that were in line with Council's objectives for the Industrial Precinct including:
- Best-practice, low-emission, energy-efficient ecologically sensitive industrial development;
- Innovative and dynamic enterprises that support the creation of new job opportunities for Townsville residents;
- Co-location of industrial uses, such as advanced manufacturing, processing and technology, with supporting and complementary enterprises that grow the domestic and international profile of Townsville; and
- Minimising adverse amenity impacts upon lands outside the precinct.
Pure Minerals Limited and Edify Energy will join the proposed lithium-ion battery plant with Imperium3 and the DriveIt project if an agreement on the land is reached.
Pure Minerals Limited have partnered with Direct Nickel Process™ and CSIRO on leading-edge next-generation technology.
Planning and Development Committee Chair Cr Les Walker said the result of the call for project partners showed that business and industry was positive about opportunities in the city.
"Council purchased the land at Lansdown almost 20 years ago to encourage the growth of new industries in Townsville," Cr Walker said.
"There is 1500 hectares of land in the Industrial Precinct available to support new developments and green industries in the city and we are seeing the interest really starting to pick up.
"The interest shown by the renewable industry sector will encourage future developers to consider Townsville as a location to invest.
"It is important that the industries secured for Lansdown have limited impact on the amenity of local residents."
Council has advanced the process to rezone the land to allow for new and innovative industrial uses with a planning scheme amendment currently being reviewed by the Queensland Government.
