ProjectIntroduction The Port of Brisbane is the second largest capital city port and the fastest growing capital city Port in Australia. It is a container and multi cargo port, handling agricultural trade and mineral (mostly coal) exports to locations around the world. The Port is located on Fisherman’s Island at the mouth of the Brisbane River (Figure 1). The Queensland Government privatised the Port in 2010. The Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL) are the private entity managing and developing the Port under a 99-year lease (Port of Brisbane, 2017). The Port of Brisbane is also part of Brisbane’s growing urban landscape. Brisbane is Australia’s third largest city. It is home to approximately 2.3 million people (Australia 2016 Population, 2016). This is projected to increase to 4.8 million by 2061 (Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, 2015). To accommodate population growth, local and state governments have adopted urban consolidation policies (Raynor et al 2015). This has allowed density to increase in the inner city and in suburbs surrounding the Port of Brisbane (Figure 2). Over 95% of freight transported to the Port of Brisbane occurs via the existing road networks - which are at capacity. The existing rail freight corridor to the Port of Brisbane is shared with suburban passenger services and currently this has major impacts on passenger and freight services. You have been provided with a copy of Part 4 of the Infrastructure Australia (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, 2013) Report into the Dedicated Rail Freight Corridor. It contains a detailed assessment of the problems associated with freight movement to the Port of Brisbane. Please familiarize yourselves with the problems described in this study as background to this assignment. To meet the growing freight needs of Brisbane and the export needs of the Queensland and Australian economy, governments and the Port of Brisbane are investigating alternatives to the existing freight network. In this assignment you will consider what options exist to improve existing rail-based freight connections to the Port of Brisbane. Task You are consultants employed by QUTto conducta stakeholder and options analysis to underpin consultation and planning for freight corridor connection options to the Port of Brisbane. You will form groups of five (5) and work together to collate data, define the problem, analyse stakeholder concerns, evaluate options and discuss a consultation strategy. You must produce a Report. In this report you will: a) define the stakeholders and describe their concerns in relation to the port freight corridors. You must define five different types of stakeholder groups and describe three concerns for each group. b) Select one group and evaluate planning and consultation options to address concerns for this group in more detail. You will select one of the five stakeholder groups you have previously identified. You will identify planning objectives for this group and discuss three options that address the objectives. From this you will choose a consultation strategy that will allow you to collect additional data with relevant stakeholders and explore the feasibility of these options in more detail. c) Be clear about the data reviewed and the methodology (approach) used when analysing data and identifying options. The Report Template (downloadable from the UXB231 Blackboard Site) will provide guidance on the structure for your report. ProjectLocation The scope of this project relates to rail corridor connections to the Port of Brisbane (Fig 1). Though the problems of road and rail corridor connections to the Port of Brisbane are clearly identified, solutions to address this significant and growing urban planning problem have not yet been developed. The Australian Government’s Inland Rail Freight Route between Melbourne and Brisbane has only been planned as far as Toowoomba (Figures 3&4). Options to connect freight from Toowoomba through to the Port of Brisbane have not yet been identified. Detailed planning of this connection is identified as a high priority project of national significance (Inland Rail Implementation Group 2015). Your project will assist the future planning for freight corridor connections to the Port of Brisbane. Project Aim and Report Objectives The aimofthisprojectisto appraise stakeholder concerns,evaluate planning and design options and stakeholder involvementfor the Port of Brisbane and itsfreightcorridor connections.The objectivesofthe reportare to: • Develop and apply a methodology based on the analysis and evaluation of existing data sets. • Identify planning problems associated with the Port of Brisbane freight corridor connections. • Define key stakeholder groups and their main areas of concern. • Describe planning objectives that addresses concerns for one stakeholder group, select and evaluate options that address concerns • Choose a stakeholder involvement strategy to collect additional data to refine objectives and investigate the feasibility of options in greater detail. • Use data and theory to justify your results and proposals. • Reach an overall conclusion to progress detailed planning for Port of Brisbane freight corridor connections. Examplesofstakeholder groups could be: • Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd • Infrastructure Australia • Residents along port rail and road corridors • Brisbane City Council • Queensland Government • Australian Government • Trade and commodity exporters • Freight and logistics suppliers • Queensland regions (outside of Brisbane) Examples of themes of concern could be: • Failings of existing corridors (eg. congestion, inefficiencies, noise, dust, public complaints, negative port/urban relationships) • Existing and future freight needs(e.g. export/import efficiencies, infrastructure development, financing partnerships) • Urban development policy (corridor protection, corridor development, urban form, urban consolidation, neighborhood concerns). Examples of objectives could be: • To improve the efficiency of freight movements to the Port • To reduce heavy vehicle congestion on Brisbane roads • To reduce greenhouse gas emissions of port freight transport corridors • To mitigate negative impacts of of freight corridors on neighbouring residents • To adapt local government land use policy to minimise densification along corridors • To identify corridor locations that address stakeholder concerns Youwill need to verify yourselected objective withyourQUTtutorto ensure itisappropriate and applicable to the intentsoftheunit. Information SuppliedbyQUT QUThas supplied information about the Port of Brisbane and freight corridors to help you get started (available in Blackboard underPorts Data) Other informationwill need to be sourced bythe group. Potential sitesforadditional information includes(but notlimited to): • Australian Bureau ofStatistics CensusInformation • Queensland Government • Australian Government • Port of Brisbane • Brisbane City Council PD Online • Brisbane City Council eBimap (available through QUTdatabase) • Brisbane CommunityProfile • Freight and Logistics Council • Local community groups. We recommend that you conduct field visits to some locations along the existing rail corridor to collect photographs and other data for your report. You may also wish to consider touring the Port of Brisbane. Port Tours are available for as little $8 and can be booked at https://www.portbris.com.au/community/dining,-tours-and-events/port-tours. Deliverables Yourgroupwillbe responsibleforsubmittingseveral deliverablesaspart ofthisassessment. Each tutorial throughoutthe semesterwill be dedicated to completing acomponentofthe research report. Yourgroupwill be required to communicatewithyourtutor in each tutorialto ensureyouunderstand thetutorial requirements and have attempted the tasks. Theseweeklytasksare notassessed individually butwill be merged intoyourfinal report. Yourgroupwillbe required to submita final research reportofapproximately5,000words(notincluding appendices)whichwill incorporate theweeklytasksand provide research, analysisand recommendationsfor stakeholder involvement. Yourresearch reportshould include the following elements: Executive Summary 1. Introduction 2. Methodology 3. Results – Stakeholder Analysis 4. Objectives and options to address stakeholder concerns 5. Recommendations for stakeholder involvement 6. Conclusion 7. References 8. Appendices Further details of what to include in each element is provided in the report template on the Blackboard Site Creditwill be given foruse ofdiagrams,tables,graphs andphotographswhich mustbe captioned,butwill not counttowardsthe 5,000word countand shouldbe included in the bodyofthe reportto provide supportto the text.Diagramsreferred in the reportbody butincludedasanappendixwillbe penalised inthe presentation criteria. Youarerequiredtosubmit your report inMSWord(.doc,.docx)through Blackboard (nohardcopysubmission).Allsubmissionswillgothrough anautomaticplagiarismcheck.Ifplagiarism isdetectedbymorethan10%,the standard QUTpolicy willapply. Schedule The unit Blackboard Site shows the scheduledtasksandweeklytimeframesallocated forthe research project. Itisthe responsibilityofthe teamto remain on trackin relation to undertaking tasksand completing the final report. Timewill be given atthe end ofeach tutorialforgroupsto participate in a reviewsession to share insightsand knowledge theyhave gained thatwould be ofbenefitto theentire tutorial group. Governance andCommunication YourteamwillreportdirectlytoyourQUTtutorwhowill be yourprimarycontactforquestions,issues and concernsin relation to thisproject.Ifrequired,tutorswill escalate issuesto the unit coordinator foradditional information. QUTRationale The idea behind thisprojectisto develop your abilityto consider theory and process inthe context of a complex, real-lifeplanning problem. Accommodating the Port of Brisbane within the context of a large and growing City environment involves multiple strategic and operational challenges for governments and the community. Many of you will be professionally engaged in projects related to ports, corridor planning, port supply chains, and managing the industrial and urban land use interfacs throughout your working careers. This project will highlight the competing advantages of: maintaining a suitable port access corridor and operational areas; maximising the large financial and urban form benefits of promoting medium and high density residential development in the water front areas of the lower estuary; and respecting the amenity concerns of the considerable existing residential population in the area – Hemmant, Wynnam Murrarie etc area. There will be economic, environmental, physical/ spatial, social and community life goals and objectives to recognize, weigh up and ultimately reconcile. This kind of multiple goal resolution is a major element of good planning processes. Thisprojectwill test your planning method andresearchskills andyour abilityto evaluate data and presentfindings clearlythroughwrittenand visual communication.This will occur in your researchreport. It will be evaluated to determinewhetheryourfindingswere developedusing a propermethod, whetherthe findingsare logical,andwhetheryouhave implemented appropriate toolsasdiscussed in lectures. Thisassessmentrelatesto the following learning outcomes: 1. Understandand practice planning asa creative and problemsolving activity. 2. Understandand applythe principlesand practicesofeffective and sensitive community and professional consultation. 3. Understandand applythe logicofland use generation to satisfyunderlyingvalues and activities throughoutawide rangeofscales and situations. 4. Appreciate therelationships between statutoryland use planning and holisticcommunity planning. 5. Appreciate theimportance of impactsand unintended consequencesofdraftplanning proposals AssessmentCriteria(CRA) Please referto the CRA fordetailed information on howthereportwill be assessed. References: Australia 2016 Population, 2016, Population of Brisbane 2016, Australia 2016 Population http://australiapopulation2016.com/ (accessed 13 February 2017). Australian Government, 2015, Inland Rail, Commonwealth of Australia, https://infrastructure.gov.au/rail/inland/files/Inland-rail-Brochure.pdf (accessed 13 February 2017). Australian Rail Track Corporation, 2017, Inland Rail Alignment, https://inlandrail.artc.com.au/route (accessed 13 February 2017). Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (2013) Dedicated Freight Rail Corridor (Submission): Chapter 4 Problem Assessment, Infrastructure Australia. Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, 2013, LGA and population density maps of major cities, Commonwealth of Australia https://infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure/pab/soac/files/2013_13_INFRA1782_MCU_SOAC_MAJOR_CITIES_MAPS_WEB_FA.pdf (accessed 13 February 2017). Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, 2015, State of Australian Cities 2014-2015, Commonwealth of Australia https://infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure/pab/soac/files/2015_SoAC_full_report.pdf (accessed 13 February 2017). Inland Rail Implementation Group, 2015, Inland Rail – Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail 2015: Inland Rail Implementation Group Report to the Australian Government, Inland Rail Implementation Group, https://infrastructure.gov.au/rail/inland/files/Inland-Rail-Implementation-Group-Report_0915.pdf (accessed 13 February 2017). Raynor, K., Matthews, T., & Mayere, S. (2015) Defining the density debate in Brisbane: how urban consolidation is represented in the media. In State of Australian Cities National Conference 2015, 9-11 December 2015, Gold Coast, Qld. Port of Brisbane, 2017, About Us, Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd www.portbris.com.au (accessed 13 February 2017). Transport Infrastructure Council, 2014, Queensland Key Freight Routes (Rail) Transport Infrastructure Council, http://transportinfrastructurecouncil.gov.au/ (accessed 13 February 2017).