Cinema, apartments plan splits westside Brisbane suburb

Plans for the first major commercial development in this Brisbane suburb in more than half a century have split the community, find out why.

Kenmore residents have split over a revived plan to build a cinema and serviced apartments near a choked roundabout.

Some fear it will worsen traffic in an area where cars often bank up for hundreds of metres on the approaches to the roundabout.

But others have welcomed the news, saying they were sick of driving to Indooroopilly or Jindalee to see a movie.

The development comes hot on the heels of plans released last week by the State Government for a $30 million upgrade of Kenmore roundabout.

GoogleEarth view of the five amalgamated residential sites, showing Kenmore roundabout (right).

Residents were dismayed to learn the long-awaited upgrade would not include an extra lane outside nearby Our Lady of the Rosary primary school, with many calling it “half a solution’’.

Local business owners Ed and Gillian Frazer, who had considered selling five amalgamated residential blocks fronting Brookfield Rd and Princeton St, have now confirmed they will proceed with plans for the cinema, 34 serviced apartments, offices and a food outlet.

“Kenmore is changing, with retirees and empty nesters downsizing and increasing numbers of young families and their children moving in,’’ Mr Frazer said in a local newspaper advertisement.

“But we don’t have the entertainment venues — restaurants and cinemas — that they are looking for.

“Locals should not have to drive to Indooroopilly for a movie and this site is the logical place to establish a cinema.

“Other Brisbane suburbs have had renewal and evolved, but Kenmore has had no new substantial commercial development in recent years, with Kenmore Village more than 50 years old.’’

Cr Greg Adermann has urged residents to make a submission before April 1. Picture: AAP/ Regi Varghese

About half of the 20-plus public submissions so far have been supportive.

“I‘m really excited to have this new development, in particular to have a cinema in Kenmore,’’ one submission said.

“It will be great to be able to have a night out in Kenmore where we can have a great meal and a movie, without driving all the way to Indooroopilly.

“This will help all the cafes and restaurants in the area (and) enliven the area, as well as giving older residents more options for activities during the day.

“With so many retirement villages in the Kenmore/Brookfield/Pullenvale areas, this will open up so many more options for them to get out to socialise in their near vicinity.’’

But others begged to differ, claiming the project would worsen traffic and street parking.

“Princeton St is already difficult enough. Adding in all this development will impact parking even more, not to mention parents trying to drop there children off at the daycare centre would be a nightmare,’’ one resident wrote.

Pullenvale Councillor Greg Adermann urged residents to make a submission.

“I would like to see as many people as possible have their say on the application for a cinema in Kenmore before the notification period finishes on April 1, so all the views of the community can be considered before a decision is made,’’ he said.

The traffic report commissioned by the Frazers said the main access would be via Princeton and Bingham streets, not busy Brookfield Rd, but indicated on-street parking on Princeton St might be removed outside the development.

“Council pre-lodgement discussions highlighted a desire to address the current on street parking arrangement,’’ the report said.

“Unrestricted parking currently occurs along Princeton St, including along the development frontage.

“The current on street parking arrangements results in an effective narrowing of the Princeton St through-lanes to a single, two-way one lane operation where parking occurs on both sides of the street.

“If agreeable to Council, the existing informal on street carparking could be limited to short term parking (i.e. 15 minute or 30 minute limit) or restricted along the along development frontage.’’

The traffic report claimed car numbers might be reduced by the development, at times, because it would remove or limit the need to travel further to the cinema, restaurants or offices.

It also said cinema usage usually did not correspond to commuter or school peak hour periods.

It estimated only an extra 130 trips during the afternoon peak, but some of those would be people “dropping in’’ to the retail component of the project.

“The provision of a more localised cinema use should allow for the redirection of some vehicle trips,’’ it said.

“This redirection of trips could have a possible benefit to Moggill Rd due to the reduction of the number of vehicles needing to continue further along Moggill Rd toward Indooroopilly.’’

The development application said the bulk of the buildings would be reduced on the eastern part of the site due to a gradual terracing and “scale reduction’’ towards Bingham St to 9.5m “or generally consistent with the maximum allowable residential building height’’.