20-level highrise, no new parks: Boggo Road Cross River Rail plan panned
It is billed as the project that will create one of our busiest transport hubs. But claims of a landscaped haven have been rubbished by a councillor, who says more highrise is coming.
Southeast
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A radical makeover planned for the Boggo Road precinct has opened it up to 14-level highrise development, and the area around Princess Alexandra Hospital to 20-level towers, a local councillor says.
The State Government’s Cross River Rail Development Authority (CRRDA) has released a development scheme for the Dutton Park site, revealing new detail about buildings, landscaping, a new bridge and more.
The 39ha Priority Development Area (PDA) includes the entire Boggo Rd Gaol and police station sites, as well as the entire Princess Alexandra Hospital site.
It has been billed as a game changer for the southside.
Boggo Road is the southern end of the underground Cross River Rail line and is expected to be handle more than 23,000 passengers every weekday by 2036.
The station will connect the University of Queensland green bridge routes, the Brisbane Metro and overland rail routes.
It will serve PA Hospital as well as the UQ Ecosciences precinct, home to some of the nation’s largest research institutions and more than 7500 health and science professionals, as well as the historic former prison site.
“Redevelopment will be transit orientated, enhance and maximise established world-class health and research facilities, and reinforce its role as a globally significant innovation precinct,’’ CRRDA said on the development website.
“A new central bridge ... will connect the eastern and western sides of the PDA, improving integration of existing institutions and enabling a unified vision, sense of place and distinct identity.
“High-quality subtropical architecture, public realm and improved amenity will cater for the growing highly-skilled workforce and attract private sector investment.
“The PDA will generate opportunities for urban renewal, including the adaptive re-use of the Boggo Road Gaol, and enhancement of public spaces.’’
But The Gabba Ward Councillor, Jonathan Sri, said the development scheme did not include any protections against selling off public land for private development.
“It also fails to deliver a net increase in public green space and denies residents any legal objection rights to future development,’’ Cr Sri said.
“However, the PDA does lock in development rights for buildings of up to 14 storeys around Boggo Rd Gaol and up to 20 storeys on the PA Hospital site, with a framework for developers to easily negotiate approval for buildings that are even taller than those limits.
“This is the first step towards a major asset sale by the State Government of public land that should be used for public housing, parkland, hospitals and community facilities.’’
Cr Sri said the project was a big win for developers and real estate agents, not the community.
He said the area did not have enough public green space, or sport and community facilities, to cater for even the existing population, let alone future growth.
“I think it’s outrageous that the government is not proposing to introduce any additional parkland within the Boggo Rd PDA,’’ Cr Sri said.
“The only parkland proposed within this site is the relocated Outlook Park, which is just 2000 sqm (in a 39ha site).’’
Residents have until April 6 to lodge submissions on the proposal.
How to make your voice heard
- Email info@crossriverrail.qld.gov.au and include ‘Boggo Rd PDA Submission’ in the subject line, and name/address at the bottom of the email
- Make a submission via the online form
What is planned/already there
- Existing facilities include the Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park Police Station, heritage listed Boggo Road Gaol, Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital
- The Boggo Road CRR PDA was declared in October, 2020
- PDA is bounded by Burke St to the north, Cornwall St to the south, Annerley Rd to the west and Ipswich Rd to the east
- PDA does not include Dutton Park State Primary School or Brisbane South State Secondary College
- A new underground Boggo Road CRR station and tunnels will be built, Dutton Park station will be upgraded
- New PA Hospital cycleway and new central active transport connection bridge will provide an elevated link between the western and eastern sides of the rail corridor
- CRR is a 10.2km rail line which will run from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills, including 5.9km of twin tunnels under the Brisbane River and CBD
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