Call for elite Brisbane boys’ school to cap student numbers
An elite Brisbane boys’ school has rejected calls from its neighbours to cap student numbers after the school lodged plans for a huge expansion.
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Spring Hill residents are calling for St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace to cap student numbers after it proposed a massive expansion which would double the elite boys’ school’s floor area.
The Courier-Mail revealed a fortnight ago that Terrace had applied for a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation to build a number of five-storey buildings.
MIDs are controversial because they bypass Council, with the State Government giving approval over a “development envelope’’ which does not necessarily have to include details of what is proposed, making it difficult for the public to formulate submissions.
Terrace said the school population, presently 1702 students, was expected to rise by only 50 students.
Spring Hill Community Group (SHCG) spokesman Anthony Gamble said the plans indicated about 90 classrooms would be added, but school principal Michael Carroll insisted the number was “more in the realm of 35-40’’.
Dr Carroll also said the plans were mainly a reconfiguration of existing uses and there would be no development for at least 10 years.
However Mr Gamble said it was not plausible that the school wanted to add so many “learning areas’’ and double its gross floor area without expecting a large increase in student numbers.
He said the school had stated in its 2009 proposal for the five-storey Tony White building that “the proposed development will not result in an increase of students or staff’’.
A similar commitment was given in the school’s 2106 DA for a multistorey building on Rogers St.
However, Terrace’s enrolment had ballooned from 1354 students in 2009 to the present 1702 students, an increase of 348 or 25 per cent.
“These are no small increases and demonstrate a lack of forecasting ability on behalf of the College,’’ Mr Gamble said.
“Given that they have gotten their forecasting so dramatically wrong in the past we have very little confidence, especially given the doubling of gross floor area and addition of 90-plus learning spaces, that they have in fact forecast the student growth correctly with this application.’’
He said Dr Carroll’s estimate of 35-40 classrooms was inaccurate, with terminology used in the MID disguising their true role as classrooms.
The estimate also covered just Waterford II, not all four buildings Terrace was asking to be approved, he said.
ONLY WAY IS UP - proposed new classrooms*
General Learning Areas (GLAs) - 15
Flexible Learning Areas (FLAs) - 30
Specialist Spaces - 10
Science Labs - 6
Engineering Rooms - 5
Multipurpose Rooms (MPAs) (4-5 times the size of regular classrooms - 3)
Art Rooms - 2
Material Prep rooms - 2
Learning Enrol - 1
Total - 74
* Numbers calculated by SHCG using MID plans for Waterford II, not including areas/rooms designated as storerooms, amenities, canteens, kitchens, locker areas, lecture theatres, staffrooms, exam centres, sporting facilities/courts, reception areas/offices, auditoriums/stages, end of trip facility, storage rooms, plant rooms, gymnasiums/gym rooms, science prep rooms
Dr Carroll said 200 of the 348 extra students since 2009 were “forced’’ increases due to the migration of Year Year into high schools and the entry of a half cohort (Prep year) into Year 8 in high schools.
The introduction of the Edmund Rice Bursary for indigenous and refugee students had resulted in an extra 23 students, and 40 extra places were due to higher demand in Years 10 and 11 due to the introduction of the ATAR university entrance system in Queensland.
“The College made a decision to increase Year 5 and 6 student numbers by two classes per year level over a few years, which has resulted in 108 additional students,’’ he said.
SHCG met senior school staff and planners Ethos Urban on July 23 to discuss the MID.
At that meeting Mr Gamble said they asked the school for a 50-student cap to be conditioned as part of the approval.
However the school declined, saying it was confident of the forecast.
“This demonstrates to us that they are not serious about sticking to their 50 student increase proposal,’’ he said.
“They say this is a long-term, 20-year plan. We don’t want to look back in 20 years’ time and find the school population has doubled.’’
Dr Carroll said some development might be up to 25 years away, or would never be built.
“The first development project is at 184 St Paul’s Terrace and will be a new version of our current Waterford Place campus (currently a Year 10 centre).
“This will not translate into any increase in student numbers.
“Rather, the new site will simply transfer our existing campus of students to the new building.
“Once this building is completed, the original Waterford Place building will be converted to a music centre – removing the existing GLAs that were in this building.’’
Dr Carroll said other proposals were for an extra finance/administration floor, STEM and library, science labs and library which would add no, or few, actual classrooms.
There would also be extra staff parking, taking pressure off street parking.
He said the large increase in student numbers since 2009 was attributable to Year 7 becoming part of Queensland secondary schools, and an expansion of Years 5 and 6 to align with other year levels.
“Our maximum student numbers will be reached at the start of 2023.
“We have maintained the 2023 students numbers (circa 1760) out until 2035, where our forecast stops.’’
Mr Gamble said by insisting the school population would not significantly rise, Terrace did not then have to seriously address traffic, parking and noise impacts.
He said that at the moment there were no formal drop-off and pick-up traffic marshalls, for instance, even though nearby Brisbane Grammar School and Brisbane Girls Grammar School had a dedicated pull-in lane for cars and marshalls in high-visibility vests.
“The principal and a few staff will stand outside and literally watch as people double park and block off driveways,’’ he said.
SHCG has submitted a detailed objection running to more than 100 pages.
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