Buranda student accommodation spaces to become park’n’ride for commuters as coronavirus hits numbers

A high-rise student accommodation complex on Brisbane’s southside wants to cut back on car spaces for residents so it can cash in on the needs of daily commuters.

AN INNER-CITY student accommodation development has backtracked on its promise to give residents 388 car parks, instead flagging that it wants to earn revenue by offering some up for commuters to park’n’ride.

Brisbane City Council approved the 1,578-bed Unilodge at Buranda in 2015 after Singaporean developer Wee Hur promised to build 0.25 parks per unit, after initially proposing just 0.11 parks per unit.

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Now the building’s owner, The Trust Company, wants some of 388 carparks to be used by commuters, due to the site’s “proximity to key public and active transport networks.”

The 25 and 14-storey dual-tower development is located next to the Buranda busway and train interchange.

A development application made with council last week noted a drop in students staying at the Buranda Unilodge. Picture: AAP/David Clark

It comes as the complex is hit by travel restrictions imposed by the global spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, with the number of students at the building falling by just under 500 students in five months.

“Only 111 spaces (28.6% of total carparking spaces) were used by students residing at the Unilodge in October 2019 (for 1,534 resident students),” the development application stated.

“Student demand has since reduced, and currently sits at 88 spaces, based on residence of 1,060 students.”

Residents would reserve their parking spaces through a booking system, with any extra then used by commuters for a fee.

“It has been identified that the existing carparking spaces are under-utilised by students due to the site’s proximity to public transport and a large portion of the residents being international students,” the development application said.

A resident walks into the Unilodge building wearing a face mask. Picture:AAPimage/David Clark

Early plans for the student accommodation towers submitted in 2015 had only one carpark per every 10 units, but an extra two basement levels were built following concerns.

“The proposed carparking rate will result in a significant shortfall of carparking on site which is likely to increase the demand for on-street carparking in the vicinity,” a letter from Brisbane City Council said of the original plans.

The application to sell off car spaces comes as the student accommodation sector faces flow-on effects from the Chinese travel ban.

Brisbane City Council refused to comment on the application, saying it was currently being assessed.

Unilodge was contacted for comment three times.

Atapinya Tawon said the building has been quieter this year compared with 2019, saying Chinese students have been stranded in China. Picture: AAP/David Clark

Resident students have described the once-buzzing commonrooms of the building as “like a library,” but praised Unilodge for putting in place measures to limit exposure to the deadly disease.

“It’s too quiet,” Thai business student Atapinya Taworn said of life inside the Buranda Unilodge.

“This building has many Chinese students, and in December they went back to their country,” Ms Taworn said.

“Now they cannot come back,” she said.

Ms Taworn however praised Unilodge, saying they had installed hand sanitiser on every floor since the new year.