Woolloongabba...
The Brisbane City Council’s South East Queensland Regional Plan aims to make Brisbane a vibrant and livable place, able to accommodate the population growth over the next 20 years. Since 1992, the Council has redeveloped various areas in suburban Brisbane to centre around urban villages. The first, at Kedron Brook Road, Wilston, was so successful, a further 36 urban villages have been developed since. Among the next group planned, as part of the $4 billion project, is the once grand old girl, affectionately known as ‘the Gabba’. The South East Queensland Regional Plan requires the City to accommodate an additional 145,000 dwelling over the next 20 years. Some of these will be in Woolloongabba. The challenge ahead for the Council lies in establishing Woolloongabba as a centre for working and living, without disruption to the part the area plays in the City’s major transport network. Woolloongabba, once a bustling inner city community, suffered a lull in activity with the closing of the railway depot and construction of the South East Freeway in the late 1960’s. In recent years, initiatives such as the redevelopment of the cricket ground, the 1995 streetscape improvements, and the 2001 introduction of the South East Busway, have injected more interest into the suburb. The Urban Renewal division of Brisbane City Council currently has a Draft Woolloongabba Structure Plan in front of the Woolloongabba Community Reference Group. Challenges to consider with the Urban Renewal of Woolloongabba, as outlined in the Draft Structure Plan, include:
The vision statement for the Structure Plan states: “Provide for Woolloongabba to become a higher density mixed use community that exemplified inner City sustainability, social inclusiveness, sub-tropical design excellence and innovation in its urban form. It will be attractive, affordable, public transport oriented, convenient and comfortable for pedestrians and cyclists, provide public spaces for local amenity and recreation, and accommodate a diverse range of people. It will also take full advantage of its strategic location and maintain its role as an employment node.” |
As part of the Urban Renewal, the suburb is divided into precincts, each containing a different mix of opportunities for employment, shopping, commercial activity, inner-city living, community care, entertainment, leisure and trades and services. Central to the development is the area known as the Core. The Core will be intensively developed, and contain a mix of character and new central civic space. There will be a mixed use activity stress along the northern end of Logan Road. The draft plan aims to retain the suburb’s character buildings, make full use of the area’s proximity to the CBD as a commerce centre, provide more residential development, and introduce a new central civic space. The various precincts of the Woolloongabba Urban Renewal include: The Core, Woolloongabba Hill, Ipswich Road Corridor, Logan Road Corridor and Deshon Street. Details of the development of each precinct follows. The Core The Core has a diverse range of uses, and is designed to have activity day and night. It centres on the northern section of Logan Road. At ground level there will be a mix of retail and entertainment within a scale and grain of development equivalent to the existing built form. Ground floor users should have a visible and ongoing presence, for example, retail, cafes, showrooms, providing activity throughout the day and into the evening. A new public space will be established at the heart of the Core, the intersection of Logan Road and Jurgens Street, to improve connectivity of the precinct. The majority of sites in the Core are generally within 400m of the Woolloongabba Busway, and all are within 800m. It is proposed that a minimum of 50% of the floor space in the Core be fore business purposes, with the balance being for residential. Building heights of up to 20 storey will be permissible in the Core. Twenty storey buildings will be permissible in a podium and tower form, with the podium being up to six sotreys complimented by a tower taking the building up to the 20th storey. It is thought that much of the podium floorplates will be suited for businesses and the smaller tower floorplates will be ideal for residences, resulting in a 50/50 mix. The northern section of Logan Road will also feature boulevarding, a high standard of streetscaping and median plainting. A new open space connection is planned to link from Ipswich Rod at Hawthorne Street to Jurgens Street to allow easier access for pedestrians to the Core. Woolloongabba Hill The character buildings along the retail strip of Stanley Street will be respected. Any new developments should be sympathetic to these buildings. The area currently has a range of churches, welfare agencies and affordable accommodation, mainly adjacent to or nearby Hawthorne Street. Further affordable accommodation is planned. The remainder of the precinct is predominantly small, single storey cottages through to three storey apartment complexes. Future development should be mainly residential, but slightly more intensive, up to four storeys. The plan provides for new mid-block open space links between Hawthorne, Wilton and Henry Streets, to increase the permeability of the southern part of the precinct. A boulevard project is also planned along Hawthorne Streets to emphasise connectivity between the area west of the Freeway and the Core. Ipswich Road Corridor Water and energy efficiency has been taken into account with the planned development, a key consideration for all council works to ensure a habitable future for the city. |
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The second edition of Chase Commercial’s printed Platinum magazine will be in the marketplace as of late November. Platinum is a bi-annual publication targeted directly at corporate leaders, commercial property investors and developers, predominantly within the South East Queensland market. It is one of Queensland’s most targeted commercial property magazines. Platinum’s first edition was so successful it resulted in the gross sales of over $25 million of property, and the leasing of 10,000m² of floor space. Of the properties featured in the first edition,92% were sold or leased following the circulation of the magazine. The next Platinum will also feature a smattering of articles celebrating all that is great about our Queensland way of life. Platinum provides the perfect arena for you to lease or sell your commercial property, or advertise your business to the commercial property industry, however, space is very limited and fast running out. If you are interested in finding out more about advertising in Platinum magazine, contact your Chase Commercial Sales and Leasing Consultant. |
