The State Government has declared a $1.9 billion trio of major steel industry developments as prescribed projects to streamline their approvals pathway.

The Alter steel mill project, Swanbank steel mill project and Sims Metal Pinkenba redevelopment project would support thousands of construction and operational jobs across Queensland, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said. 

The Alter recycling and manufacturing facility, expected to cost $1.05 billion to bring online at Pinkenba. The project is expected to create up to 600 construction jobs and 216 operational jobs.

Alter chief executive officer Paul Zuckerman said the Alter project would strengthen Queensland’s steel supply chain by adding locally recycled scrap-based steelmaking to an established reinforcing network. 

“This declaration will help support timely coordination of final approvals and enabling infrastructure as the project progresses towards early works and construction,” he said. 

The Swanbank proposal will see a direct construction investment of $640 million by Future Forgeworks to develop a new steel manufacturing facility within the NewGen Business Park industrial estate at Swanbank. The project is expected to create more than 400 construction jobs and up to 200 operational jobs.

“The Swanbank steel mill project is a significant investment in Queensland’s sovereign manufacturing capability and is intended to supply reinforcing steel locally from 2028,” Future Forgeworks managing director and chief executive officer Rohan Richardson said. 

“Prescribed project status will help coordinate the remaining infrastructure interfaces needed to support timely delivery of the project.” 

Sims chief project and business development officer John Glyde said the declaration was an important step for the proposed redevelopment of trhe company’s industrial waterfront site at Pinkenba into an integrated metal recycling, processing and logistics hub. 

The $215 million project is expected to support about 1090 construction jobs and 140 operational jobs. 

“The proposed Sims Metal Pinkenba redevelopment project is intended to strengthen Queensland’s circular economy by expanding our capacity to recover, process and supply recycled metal feedstock for domestic manufacturing,” Sims’ Mr Glyde said.   

Queensland Coordinator-General Gerard Coggan said the prescribed project status did not remove the need for statutory approvals, but provided a clear framework to help projects progress efficiently while maintaining all relevant assessment requirements.