Maroochydore CBD development reaches halfway as first businesses open

Maroochydore's entirely new city centre development has reached its halfway point, with 15 businesses now operating in SunCentral's masterplanned CBD and 40 more committed for the next construction stage — a milestone that has transformed what was bare land a decade ago into a functional urban centre in the heart of the Sunshine Coast.

SunCentral, the development vehicle overseeing the 53-hectare precinct, confirmed that the first residential tower — a 22-storey apartment building — is now 80 per cent sold and under active construction. A second residential tower has been approved and is expected to launch sales shortly. The commercial office market has been stronger than projected, with the first purpose-built office building reaching 90 per cent pre-commitment before construction commenced.

SunCentral chief executive John Knaggs said the pace of development was exceeding the projections in the original masterplan, which had assumed a 20-year build-out timeline. "We are now looking at a 15-year delivery timeline based on current demand. The Sunshine Coast has come of age as a CBD city faster than anyone expected," he said.

The digital infrastructure embedded in the precinct — including Australia's first city-centre gigabit fibre network and a smart traffic management system — has become a significant competitive advantage in attracting technology and professional services tenants. Three technology companies have cited the infrastructure as a decisive factor in choosing Maroochydore for their Queensland headquarters.

A 2.5-hectare central park forming the civic heart of the precinct will open next year, providing the outdoor public space that urban planners consider essential for long-term retail and commercial vitality.

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