12:00a.m. 27th February 2008

| By Jane Gardner

Geoff and Pernelle Powell, with children Eddie and Scout, moved here to escape the Sydney rat race and hope the Coast doesn't become over-populated. Photo: Geoff Potter/ n19762a

Only one in five of us think the Sunshine Coast will be a better place to live in the year 2020.

Just over 52% of people polled in the Your Coast Your Say survey are certain it will not be, 30% are unsure and only 18% are optimistic about the future, according to preliminary results.

The biggest survey of Coast residents was run during January in a joint project by the Daily, the University of the Sunshine Coast, thedaily.com.au and Seven Local News, attracting 1582 responses.

More crime, traffic gridlock, strained hospitals and police resources, unsightly high-rises, a critical housing shortage and public-transport problems were among the feared consequences of having some 200,000 new residents in the next 20 years.

People ranked “scenic beauty” as the most important lifestyle aspect of the Coast, followed by lifestyle and general pace of life, cleanliness and safety.

Among the least important lifestyle aspects were job prospects and availability, and infrastructure.

Only 8% were unconcerned about population growth.

Interestingly, people who moved here between seven and 15 years go made up the largest group of respondents.

Survey respondent Geoff Powell, of Noosa Heads, said he felt so strongly about overpopulation that he would move his family away if Noosa felt the pinch.

“Even the growth in the last five or 10 years has made a noticeable impact on liveability,” he said.

“With a population of 400,000 plus, it would be horrible. I’ll be moving my family so there’s four less.”

Mr Powell moved here with his wife, Pernelle, and their two children five years ago to escape the Sydney rat race. Like many Noosa residents, he was appalled by council amalgamation.

“I knew south-east Queensland was going through massive development but I thought Noosa would be a bit more immune to that,” he said.

Over two-thirds (71%) of respondents expressed concern about the level of crime, with street violence and crimes against children topping the list of worst offences.

Of the remainder, 17% were unconcerned and 12% were not sure.

Key issues that people said need to be addressed were preserving quality of life, caring for the natural environment, health facilities, the public transport network, crime rates and the pace of growth.

Despite fears about sustainability, the Bligh government was confident it could meet challenges through the South East Queensland Regional Plan.

The plan outlined the government’s $13.2 billion investment in Coast infrastructure.

That included an extra 11 schools to be built between now and 2026 at a cost of $437 million.

The funding included $940 million for a hospital at Kawana, $1.7 billion on the Traveston Crossing Dam and $564 million on the northern pipeline interconnector.

Other Your Coast Your Say stories:

Development is our key concern: survey

Abbot is favourite for top job

Tourism numbers too big for us

See tomorrow's Daily and thedaily.com.au for more survey results, including views on how we can improve our environment and lifestyle.