A riverfront industrial site in Brisbane is to get 2200 new homes to allow for occupancy before the 2032 Summer Olympics.
But the move has been criticised by advocates for Victoria Park, where earthworks on the new Olympic Stadium has begun.
The state government says it tapped five builders to develop 6.1 hectares of a former industrial site at Northshore Hamilton involving 21,600 square metres of shops, dining and service space with one to four bedroom apartments and a hotel.
The five builders and their contracts are:
- GRAYA: a mixed-use development of 435 homes, a 50-bed hotel, and offices.
- Joe Adsett Developments: 430 homes in a staged two-tower development with shops and offices.
- Lancini: a 15,000sq-m shopping and commercial hub and 484 new homes.
- Red & Co: 440 homes in a staged two-tower development with shops and offices.
- Greyburn: a staged residential development with 402 homes across four medium-high-rise buildings and ground-floor shops.
Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) is spending $154 million on infrastructure with work under way it says it received 18 proposals for the five sites in eight weeks.
The government says it also “removed” planning red tape for the Northshore Hamilton Priority Development (PDA) Area Development Scheme to “accelerate” new housing work and create jobs.
Construction on the first homes is due to start in 2028 with the first residents expected to move in from 2031.
Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie claims the project “is the beginning of a major ‘river-lution’ of Brisbane’s northside, transforming previously industrial land into something special”.
“Queensland is open for business … delivering major urban renewal ahead of 2032 and beyond.
“We’re open for business and … there’s more to come as we transform both sides of the banks of the brown snake, including the redevelopment of the old Visy site at South Brisbane.”
According to the PDA, the total precinct site will measure 304 hectares, cost $14 billion to develop, house 24,500 residents (with 14,000 new homes), more than $600m of infrastructure spending and create 800,000 sq m of new offices, shops and industry with more than 25,000 jobs.
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RIVERFRONT SITE EXCITES BUILDERS
GRAYA CEO and co-founder Rob Gray says: “Our ambition is to deliver a subtropical, architecturally led precinct on the river, designed for the Queensland climate.”
Joe Adsett, Founder and Managing Director of Joe Adsett Developments, says they are grateful to the EDQ for choosing them for the riverfront project.
“What makes Northshore particularly meaningful is that it is also my backyard,” he says.
Lancini Property Group Executive chairman Laurence Lancini and CEO Tomas Lancini say they see a great opportunity.
“Lancini Property Group and James Group see the growth of Northshore Hamilton as one of Brisbane’s great opportunities to create a truly master-planned development.”
Red & Co Development Manager Ben Woolhouse and managing director of Greyburn John Kearney says they were proud to be chosen for the project by EDQ.
ADVOCACY GROUP ATTACKS RIVERFRONT SITE
But the Save Victoria Park advocacy group is asking how a former industrial riverfront site deemed unsuitable for an Olympic stadium has now become suitable for homes, shops, medical and (potentially) child services.
“If the (state) government was determined to break its election promise of ‘no new stadiums’, this was exactly the sort of site that should have been seriously pursued for a new stadium and Olympic Village,” a press statement from the group reads.
“Instead, GIICA (Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority) rejected Northshore and the government chose to destroy the heart of heritage-listed Victoria Park (Barrambin).”
The group says GIICA had cited transport, access, current development limitations and the riverfront site’s proximity to fuel storage north of it as reasons why it was not suitable for a stadium.
“If Northshore’s transport, access and development constraints made it unsuitable for a stadium, how are those same constraints compatible with putting thousands of new homes and a major commercial precinct there?” they asked.
The group says more than 200 trees have already been felled at Victoria Park (Barrambin) to make way for a stadium on steep, constrained, heritage-listed site beside Queensland’s busiest hospital (Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital).
