Multimillion-dollar makeover for elite Brisbane girls’ school

One of Queensland’s leading girls’ schools has lodged concept plans for a new senior’s building up to eight storeys high. It comes hot on the heels of a $15m sports upgrade.

Somerville House in South Brisbane has applied to Council to demolish three of its school buildings and replace them with a state-of-the-art, five-eight level senior’s precinct.

It hoped to start demolition works in the September school holidays next year, although no completion date was given.

There would be no increase in staff for student numbers, instead the new building would allow easier delivery of arts, languages and other subjects.

Artist's impression of the new building.

The new structure, on the western edge of the site at 253 Vulture St, would be in basically the same location as the existing B, C and D block seniors’ buildings, which are to be demolished.

The multi million-dollar plan comes after the GPS girls’ school revealed in June last year that it would spend $15 million on a new, dedicated sporting facility at Rocklea, 10km away.

It bought 15.4ha of land adjacent to Dunn Rd for the facility, to be called Somerfields.

Six ovals and 10 multipurpose courts would be used for training and competition such as athletics, cricket, hockey, football, netball, softball, touch and tennis, while a cross country course would also be developed.

Cumbooquepa, the former boarding area at Somerville House.

The new plans, lodged as a material change of use, would not affect the landmark Cumbooquepa building fronting Vulture St, which is inscribed on the Queensland Heritage Register.

The late 1800s building, once the grandest and most expensive private home in Queensland, was used for boarders until a new boarding facility was built on Graham St about a decade ago.

Somerville House also owns the adjacent, former South Brisbane Town Hall building, which is also heritage listed.

BSPN Architecture said in the DA documents that the new senior’s precinct would be designed to “reflect the existing school buildings, existing footprint and remain within a central part of the campus’’.

Aerial view of Somerville House (school pool on far left, train line, pedestrian overpass at top left, main school campus in centre of image, Vulture St at top of photo).

“Abutting Block A, the building will extend down towards the existing sports oval and be approximately five to eight storeys in height to address the campus topography,’’ it said.

“The heritage building area has been set back providing building separation between the new building and Cumbooqueba.’’

Level 2 would house equipment, utilities, refuse, storage, amenities, levels 3 and 4 would include art studios and a link to a design technology classroom, while level 5 would be a communal rooftop area with canteen and amenities.

A drama studio, staffrooms and two classrooms were planned for level 6, a communal room and four classrooms on level 7 and a flexible/meeting room and four classrooms were planned for the top level.

Details on Council’s online DA portal developmenti. Search for application number A005887964