Maroochydore city centre priority development area (PDA)
Maroochydore city centre was declared a PDA in July 2013 by the Queensland government to streamline the planning, approval and development processes to accelerate development with a focus on economic growth.
Sunshine Coast Council, SunCentral Maroochydore and Walker Corporation development agreement
In November 2020. Sunshine Coast Council, SunCentral Maroochydore Pty Ltd and one of Australia’s leading and largest private property groups, Walker Corporation, entered into a development agreement that will drive the Maroochydore city centre project forward.
The agreement will see up to $2.5 billion of private sector investment flow into the project.
Walker Corporation is a highly experienced, Australian-owned commercial developer and building owner, with extensive expertise in urban regeneration and the development of quality commercial, retail and residential precincts.
The Maroochydore city centre will be instrumental in building and strengthening the region, providing a mix of residential, commercial, retail, civic and community uses in order to develop a thriving and vibrant business district and city centre, complementing and enhancing Maroochydore’s existing business offering.
Under the development agreement, Walker Corporation has exclusive rights to market and develop most of the remaining land consistent with the delivery of the city centre vision. As the project is delivered, council will receive civic assets such as parks, walkways and The Corso, which relieves council of the obligation to fund and deliver this infrastructure.
Walker Corporation’s investment in the 53-hectare Priority Development Area has commenced, with the project expected to create more than 15,000 jobs over the life of the project. Visit the Walker Corporation project website.
More information can be viewed in the Sunshine Coast Council, SunCentral Maroochydore and Walker Corporation development agreement fact sheet (PDF, 331.7KB).
About the Maroochydore city centre PDA
Maroochydore has been fast tracked to become the business, community and employment hub of the Sunshine Coast. In July 2013, the Queensland Government announced that the Maroochydore city centre would be a PDA. This declaration was at the request of council. The declaration of Maroochydore as a PDA will:
- support economic development
- provide much needed infrastructure
- create a new central business district for the Sunshine Coast.
The PDA is approximately 60 hectares, covering council owned land including the site of the former Horton Park Golf Club and land in Dalton Drive, Maroochydore.
View the Maroochydore city centre PDA regulatory map (PDF, 418KB).
Maroochydore city centre PDA development scheme
The Maroochydore city centre PDA development scheme was approved by the Queensland Government on 11 July 2014 and subsequently amended in April 2016 and August 2019.
The development scheme is the planning document that assists in planning, carrying out, promoting, coordinating and controlling the development of land in the Maroochydore city centre PDA. All development applications within the PDA are assessed against the development scheme.
Development applications within the Maroochydore city centre PDA are assessed against the Maroochydore city centre PDA amended development scheme (PDF, 7.2MB).
For enquiries about the PDA or development scheme, please contact the project coordinator via council's customer service centre or email [email protected].
Development scheme amendment no. 1
In order to improve the operation of the Maroochydore city centre development scheme, an amendment to the scheme was undertaken. The amendment was made in accordance with the requirements of the Economic Development Act 2012 and became effective on 22 April 2016.
Development scheme amendment no. 2
In order to assist council in meeting the urban infill targets set for the Sunshine Coast region under the South East Queensland Regional Plan and to respond other matters related to development in the Maroochydore city centre PDA, a further amendment to the development scheme was undertaken. The amendment was made in accordance with the requirements of the Economic Development Act 2012 and became effective on 9 August 2019.
Development scheme amendment no. 3
In order to give effect to a revised master plan for the land south of the Corso, an amendment to the Maroochydore city centre development scheme was undertaken. The three key elements of the revised master plan that informed the amendment involved:
- consolidation of the waterway and parkland areas into a centralised lake and parkland in the heart of the city centre
- moving the proposed Exhibition and Convention Centre to be closer to the transit centre
- moving the amphitheatre to the northern end of the central park.
It is also to address other operational matters in relation to the above amendments and to improve the clarity and efficiency of the development scheme.
The Maroochydore City Centre PDA Development Scheme amendment (no.3) was subject to public consultation from 11 September 2023 to 23 October 2023 (inclusive). For more information please refer to Have Your say page.
View the public notification Submissions Report (PDF, 378KB).
The amendment was made in accordance with the requirements of the Economic Development Act 2012 and became effective on 15 March 2024.
More information
ParknGo Lightning Lane car park
This eight-storey car park is now open.