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KENSINGTON LAKES NEWSLETTER NO 2
28th December, 2006
WELCOME TO THE SECOND KENSINGTON LAKES NEWSLETTER
It’s been a year since our first newsletter, a year of hard work but also a year of significant achievement in terms of getting the Kensington Lakes project ‘off the ground’.
During the early part of 2006 we received planning and works approval for the first major stage — a 70 lot commercial industry precinct. This is now nearing completion with estate roads sealed, most services installed and the widening of Johanna Boulevard well underway.
The development application for the next major stage has recently been lodged with Council, with approval expected by mid 2007. This stage includes the first air access lots (for business) and the major regional sports ground (the so called Super Park). This is the final commercial business and industry stage of the project.
The team is now heavily involved in the design and planning of the master planned residential community to the south of the commercial stages. This comprises the residential air access lots and a master planned lakeside residential community complete with town centre, parks and other community facilities. We have finalised the master plan, are well into the statutory planning work, and are carrying out the myriad of technical studies required to gain approval for a multi—faceted project such as Kensington Lakes. The aim is to lodge the development application for what is essentially the balance of the project, by March or April 2007. We anticipate approval toward the end of 2007, with construction to commence in early 2008.
Stage 1 — Commercial Industry Lots nearing completion
The 70 lot commercial industry (first) stage is nearing completion with roads and services well advanced and landscaping to follow in the near future. Title deeds are expected to be available by February 2007, and although up to 60% of the lots are now sold there are still well located and well priced lots available for purchase. This stage of the project will demonstrate for the first time the level of commitment of the developer to landscaping, and the intended quality of the estate.
The widening of Johanna Boulevard to provide two lanes in each direction with a central landscaped median will be a first for any commercial area in Bundaberg other than the widely acclaimed Bourbong Street in the city centre. Johanna Boulevard will have an advantage even over Bourbong Street however, as the street trees planted along Johanna Boulevard will avoid the attentions of the Ergon tree surgeons who’s job is to sculpt (?) trees as they grow, to protect overhead transmission lines. All services including power and telecommunications are underground throughout Kensington Lakes.
Demand for lots so far has been largely from retail warehouse developers and other high amenity businesses. There still remain significant opportunities for service businesses including small homemaker and similar retail operators providing convenience goods and services to the local area, aviation related users, and the opportunity to develop a major retail liquor outlet. There is also scope for more traditional industry on the less expensive lots on the loop roads to the east and west of Johanna Boulevard.
Stage 2 — Air Industry and Super Park Application recently lodged with Council
The second major development application was lodged with Council this December 2006. This stage includes 48 commercial industry lots, 7 of which share a joint taxiway with direct access to the main runway of Bundaberg airport. In addition this application incorporates the 12.5 Ha Super Park to provide opportunities for organised sport and recreation. Early indications are that this park will house the Bundaberg Little Athletics club, and perhaps rugby union.
The air industry lots are expected to attract businesses that have an operational need to have direct access to the airport, such as in—flight catering services; aircraft refuelers; couriers; airfield ground maintenance; aircraft cleaners; flight schools; aircraft maintenance; aircraft manufacturing and testing; and any other business that would benefit from direct airside access but with the advantage of a freehold lot. The remaining 41 lots are aimed at the commercial business sector with a continuation of the retail warehouse and general commercial theme that is emerging in the northern Johanna Boulevard commercial industry stage.
The Super Park once approved will be acquired and operated by Bundaberg City Council. It will form the boundary between the commercial industry businesses in the northern part of the development and the residential areas to the south.
The Plan of Development (a statutory document that sets out the town planning rules devised for this part of the project), splits this stage into two precincts and contains codes that set out the desired standard of development. Similar to the first Johanna Boulevard stage all buildings in the commercial precinct are to be of painted masonry construction with controls on parking, landscaping and building layout to ensure a highly attractive and functional form of development. Building development in the Super Park is to be ancillary to the parks main use as a sports field (kiosks, grandstands, change rooms etc) and to be in keeping with the business areas — constructed of painted masonry, with building locations, carparking, landscaping, and playing fields developed in a manner that protects the residential amenity of surrounding lands and in a manner that contributes to the overall aim of developing a landmark master planned community.
Stage 3 — Residential Airpark and Lakeside Community master planning completed and technical work well underway
Master planning has now been completed for the Kensington Lakes residential community located to the south of the commercial industry areas discussed above. This plan will be posted to the web site shortly.
There are three major themes to the community:
• the establishment of a world class residential air park;
• a high amenity lakeside living environment; and
• a high quality lakeside town centre, mixed use, and higher density residential precinct.
The master plan, though still subject to further refinement during the design development process, includes approximately:
- 115 air access blocks varying from 600m² to 1260m² in area (each configured to accommodate a single family dwelling and one hangar for aircraft);
- 510 conventional residential blocks from 360 m² to 1260m² in area (48 with lake frontage and 35 with park frontage);
- A 5.5 Ha man made lake complete with fountains, viewing areas, surrounding park areas, footpaths and cycleways, and beautifully landscaped gardens. This is the centre piece of Kensington Lakes and will be developed to the highest quality in terms of amenity, visual beauty and visibility to all residents and visitors;
- 3.5 Ha of land earmarked for higher density residential development, in close proximity to the lake and lakeside park (yielding potentially 175 apartments and townhouses);
- 8.76 Ha of mixed use sites in close proximity to the lake to accommodate the town centre (supermarket and specialty stores, restaurants and cafes); larger retail and community buildings (churches, community centre, library etc);
- Approximately 3.6 Ha allocated to medium density housing yielding potentially 85 to 100 townhouses, low rise apartments, and group title housing.
The air park residential component of the project is on track to become the first city based prestige aviation focussed community in Australia. Design controls on airpark houses and hangars, and a high standard of urban design and landscaping will ensure that not only will the recreational aviation community have direct access to the clear skies of the Wide Bay, Sunshine, Coral and Capricorn Coasts; but also live in one of the most desirable urban environments in Queensland. Although these air park home lots will be at the prestige end of the market they are not likely to be out of reach given the affordability of the Bundaberg area relative to the major urban centres in the country.
The balance of the residential area will also be developed with quality and refinement in mind. The creation of the approximately 5.5 Ha lake will provide the focus for some innovative and high quality residential precincts. To put its scale into context it is about the same size as the lakes at Forest Lake, North Lakes, and Springfield lakes in the Brisbane area. At Kensington Lakes however there are far fewer homes, therefore more scope for all residents to have handy access to the lake and its recreational opportunities. Similar to the air park precinct the emphasis in this lakeside residential area will be on good urban design; and roads, streets, and pathways that are integrated into the environment with landscaping and street trees dominating rather than hard stand or bitumen. Again similar to the air park the aim will be to create a cool and green environment, which will be helped in our current dry conditions by virtually unlimited irrigation water for garden use (separate from council’s normal potable water supply). This will be directly plumbed to each residence and to public garden areas and parklands. This water has been secured from the regions irrigation system (untreated rainwater direct from the dams) and will be cheaper than council’s potable supply.
In addition to the normal detached single family houses and town houses it is intended to develop a range of apartment buildings, a full service residential hotel, integrated housing complexes, and other high density projects in proximity to the northern end of the lake. This element of the project will dovetail in with the commercial buildings in and near the town centre to create a vibrant and energetic lakeside central core. As part of this it is expected that we would develop a number of tall buildings (apartments and a hotel) up to 8 storeys in height fronting the northern side of the lake close to the town centre. This is to reinforce and delineate the central core of the township; to take advantage of the lake views; and in the case of the hotel in recognition of the proximity to the regional airport.
The town or village centre is expected to accommodate one or more supermarkets of up to 3,500 m² in total floor area (a standard Coles or Woolworths), and up to 20 specialty stores, restaurants, cafes, book shops, churches and all the things that make up a high quality community centre . The café and restaurant precinct will enjoy views over the lake and will be a prime destination for those using the extensive park, pathway, and road network. The integration of the lake with its surrounding park, pathway system and buildings will be a primary focus for our urban designers and landscape architects as the project unfolds.
In addition to the village centre complex there will also be opportunities for other town centre and community buildings nearby. As mentioned earlier there will be high density housing in proximity to the centre but there are also likely to be other community uses such as a major licensed club, retirement village, professional offices, and the like forming what is intended to be a unique high amenity lakeside centre that will become a drawcard of the Wide Bay Burnett region.
Access to Southern Bundaberg By—Pass Road nearing agreement
The Queensland Main Roads Department are in the advanced stages of designing a southern by-pass road linking traffic from the Isis Highway from Brisbane to the Bundaberg Port area and the beachside resorts of Bargara and Mon Repos. This by-pass road is close to the tip of our southern boundary. We have now reached in principle agreement with DMR and Bundaberg City Council to allow for a link road adjacent to our eastern boundary to connect into this by pass road thereby improving regional accessibility for residents and cutting the trip to the beach down to within 10 minutes drive. The by-pass road is scheduled for construction in late 2007.
Wishing you all the best for the season
The Kensington Lakes Project team
December 2006