Redland City Council is to market test demand for industrial land on Macleay Island as part of a strategy to boost the economy of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands.

Council recently resolved to prioritise the testing of likely market take up of Council owned land on Kate Street, Macleay Island – a site identified as suitable and zoned for low impact industrial development.

Mayor Karen Williams said the northern part of the site had been identified as suitable for industry and offered several advantages, including potentially allowing the relocation of industry from residential areas on the island.

“There have been calls for some time for industrial land on Macleay Island to be made available and the Council site is widely regarded as most suitable, being zoned for low-impact industrial activity,” she said.

“Councillors recently agreed that market testing demand for the land was the appropriate step to take before allocating funds to pave the way to open up the industrial zoned area.

“Council is confident the private sector is likely to take up the opportunity to acquire and develop the northern section of the site for low impact industrial purposes.”

Division 5 Councillor Mark Edwards said if there was sufficient demand for private use of the land, Council would retain use of the southern part of the area for current and future Council operational use.

“There would be a cost to Council to make the land available but we need to determine demand as the first stage of this process,” he said.

“A modified Expression of Interest process could provide an appropriate mechanism to enable Council to test the market.”