By Tony Moore
The state government has been investigating developing a piece of flood-affected CBD riverside land, despite saying ‘no’ to plans for a hotel beside the Story Bridge for fears of water damage.
On August 3, Deputy Premier and Local Government Minister Paul Lucas ruled against Brisbane City Council’s plan to build a boutique hotel as part of a bid to redevelop Howard Smith Wharves.
The Howard Street Wharves site goes underwater during the January floods.
Yet in June this year, award-winning Cox Rayner Architects gave the state government a number of submissions on how to develop a site at 25 William Street, beside the Riverside Expressway.
The three-tiered parcel of land, within throwing distance of the parliamentary annexe, is now used as a carpark.
The carpark site marked down by Brisbane City Council for future development was waist-deep in water during the January floods.Credit: Tony Moore
Council’s Floodwise Property Report shows the Brisbane River covered the bottom third of the rising block in January. It floods at a 2:100 rate, meaning it has a two per cent chance of flooding each year.
brisbanetimes.com.au was yesterday refused access to the designs.
Council planning committee chair Amanda Cooper last week questioned why, if Howard Smith Wharves could not go ahead, the state government was continuing with plans to develop the flood-affected land on William Street.
“I note they’ve got a big parcel of land down there in William Street, and they are thinking about putting a building there,” Cr Cooper told last Tuesday's council meeting.
Council maintains the proposed hotel site was left dry, despite floodwater covering much of the larger Howard Smith Wharves area.
It claims the reason is “pure politics”, with former lord mayor and Wharves redevelopment supporter Campbell Newman now running against Premier Anna Bligh.
Cr Cooper said Paul Lucas was wrong to rule out the Howard Smith Wharves site.
“Their own position is fundamentally flawed by what they have allowed to happen and it is a disgrace,” she said.
Their own position is fundamentally flawed by what they have allowed to happen and it is a disgrace.
A spokesman for the Department of Public Works last night admitted the bottom third of 25 William Street was flooded in January.
On Friday, they issued a simple statement saying there were no immediate plans to develop the site and not mentioning flooding, or that Cox Rayner Architects had designed the site.
Last night they clarified that they received design submissions in June, after contracting the firm last year.
“However, there are no current development applications or approvals to develop the site,” their statement read.
“During the January 2011 floods, the bottom third of the site was inundated.
“This is different to Howard Smith wharves where the majority of the site flooded.
“Any development on the 25 William Street site would have to incorporate provision for suitable height above one-in-100-year flood levels.”
A spokesman for Local Government Minister Paul Lucas last night said Brisbane City Council could still lodge a development application for the Howard Smith Wharves site.
“We haven’t said ‘no development’ at Howard Smith Wharves,” Ms Lucas’ spokesman said.
“We have said, ‘Not in its current form’.”
In his media statement on August 3 Mr Lucas said Brisbane City Council should think again.
“There are important historical buildings on the Howard Smith Wharves site and I am sure that, with thought and further community consultation - and in the light of the flooding event - the BCC can come up with the appropriate mixture of tourist and community-friendly uses that will make it a mecca, not a flood hazard.”
Cox Rayner Architects have designed the Kurilpa Bridge, the Goodwill Bridge, the new Magistrates Court building, the James Street Market area at New Farm and recently won the contract for Brisbane’s new CityCat terminals.
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