Narangba Precinct Gets Green Light for 600 New Jobs

City of Moreton Bay Council has cleared a major hurdle in its push to grow local jobs, with the Queensland State Government approving the Narangba Innovation Precinct planning scheme amendment to proceed to public consultation.

The proposed changes aim to unlock 600 new special industry jobs within a defined area of the existing precinct east of the Bruce Highway, while also tightening health and safety measures including stronger air quality controls. It's a balancing act the council has been working towards for several years, backed by independent environmental health studies carried out between 2020 and 2024 covering air quality, noise, human health risk, and fire hazard.

Mayor Peter Flannery said the opportunity for residents to work closer to home was central to the proposal. If approved, the changes are projected to add $129 million to the local economy and strengthen investor confidence in the region.

The bigger picture is hard to ignore. Moreton Bay is one of the fastest growing areas in Queensland, and the demand for local jobs hasn't kept pace with population growth. Tens of thousands of residents currently commute out of the region each day for work, which puts pressure on roads, household budgets, and community life. A well-planned industrial precinct like this one, properly buffered from residential areas, is exactly the kind of infrastructure the region needs more of.

For suburbs close to the precinct, the ripple effects could be meaningful. Narangba, Morayfield, Burpengary and Deception Bay residents would have genuine employment options within a short drive. That kind of local job access tends to support demand for nearby services, trades, and small businesses, which flows back through the broader local economy. Council has also confirmed that environmentally significant land north of the precinct will not be affected by the amendment.

A 12-month continuation of the current Temporary Local Planning Instrument has been proposed to keep existing conditions in place while the formal amendment process runs its course, with the current instrument due to expire in late July.

Residents will have the chance to have their say during a statutory consultation period once Council prepares and approves the next steps report. Anyone wanting to stay across the process can follow updates through the City of Moreton Bay's Your Say platform.