CBD park won’t be destroyed for Cross River Rail: Minister

Queensland’s Transport Minister says claims of 30-level highrises swallowing up a popular CBD park are ‘ludicrous’ despite an e-petition with 33,000 signatures.

Drone photo of Roma Street Parkland. Almost 33,000 people have signed a petition to stop highrise development in part of the precinct.

Claims unit towers up to 30 storeys high will eat up one-third of Roma Street Parkland are “ludicrous’’, Transport Minister Mark Bailey says.

A change.org petition claiming 32 per cent of the CBD parkland would be concreted over has attracted 33,000 signatures in less than a month.

But Mr Bailey, whose portfolio includes the Cross River Rail (CRR) project, said the Priority Development Area plans for the precinct “absolutely protected’’ the gardens.

Unit towers of 10-12 storeys were planned for a carpark at the northern end, but that site had always been slated for highrise and would hide the “ugly’’ rail lines, he said.

He said development on two other lots, one a Council depot and the other a Council mulching facility, could actually see extra public green space created.

Roma Street Parkland.

“At the moment those two sites are off limits to the public. It’s unlikely there will be highrise there, rather a ‘step change’ in building height and mixed-use development which will see those two areas become publicly accessibly for the first time,’’ he said.

Mr Bailey, a keen cyclist, also flagged the possibility that a nearby bikeway could be widened and upgraded as part of the changes.

The area around the Parkland, considered one of the world’s best subtropical gardens, will be redeveloped as part of the CRR project.

Roma St train station is currently being rebuilt and a “green spine’’ connecting Albert St to a proposed major entertainment centre, called Brisbane Live, is planned near Caxton St.

Artist impression of Brisbane Live at Roma St.

About 4000 extra people would live in the so-called Priority Development Area (PDA) the Government has declared around the precinct.

The change.org petition has sparked alarm across Brisbane and among residents in nearby units, who called on the Government to guarantee the gardens — and scarce public parking for people who visited the gardens — would be preserved.

Mr Bailey conceded that the number of petition signatories was impressive, and that those who had signed were “well intentioned’’, but said the accompanying blurb was very misleading.

It read, in part: “Cross River Rail has been tasked with redeveloping the areas around Roma St train station into a transit hub and to facilitate Brisbane Live.

“It has issued a draft development scheme over an area surrounding Roma St Station that includes 32 per cent of Roma St Parkland area.

“The best bits get bulldozed. The proposed development scheme will destroy the main entry point to the Parkland at Albert St and the station.

“Fifteen-storey high buildings will be permitted over sections of the main Celebration Lawn, the cafe area and beautiful garden and BBQ settings.

“Unlimited height buildings will be permitted to encircle the park around and above the station, cutting off its vistas and its light — essential to tree and plant growth.’’

State Greens MP, Amy MacMahon, claimed in a Facebook post that the CRR plan would involve privatisation of nearly 5ha of green space.

“We’re really concerned about this privatisation, as well as plans for buildings up to 30 storeys high, potentially overshadowing the remaining parkland,’’ she posted.

But Mr Bailey said her claims of 30-storey buildings were simply “ludicrous’’ and flew against the Greens’ stated policy of containing urban sprawl.

“It is very well situated housing, close to public transport. Why would the Greens oppose that?’’ he said.

“Any displaced carparks would be replaced in the new developments. We would require them to be reintegrated into new development.’’

Council City Planning Chair, Krista Adams, said the PDA “turns a public space into a taxpayer-funded pleasure park for the private residents of adjoining towers”.

“This State Government plan abolishes Council’s works depot, which includes a composting facility which helps save residents around $300,000 a year,” Cr Adams said.

“Their plan also includes the removal of 149 car parks, which are heavily relied on by visitors to the parkland, with no suitable alternative.’’

Mr Bailey said the composting facility could “go anywhere’’.

A CRR spokesman said the PDA was a framework of planning rules to assess development proposals for the next two to three decades. It was not prescriptive of what could be built.

“Given current projections for population and jobs growth, as well as a potential 2032 Olympics, there is significant need to develop the Roma Street precinct, while making sure existing community amenities are enhanced or preserved,” the spokesman said.

Council’s $1.2 billion Brisbane Metro will also stop at Roma Street, but the Inner Northern Busway must be relocated, with a new alignment not yet determined.

The PDA has development broken into stages, with the first doe to be completed 2025, and the fourth stage by 2036.

The first stage includes the CRR station, and the second includes towers around the station.

The third stage involves Brisbane Live and a new hotel up to 47 storeys.

A 15-storey development could also emerge over the coach terminal and park administration buildings.

An education and research precinct might also be constructed over the northern corner, where the council’s work depot and public car park sits.

Brisbane’s arrests court and police buildings are also flagged for new five to 25-level towers.

Cr Adams said Council had concerns about the PDA in its current form.

“This will see lost land, lost carparking and multiple new towers with no amenity considered,’’ she said.

“The State’s Priority Development Areas have no boundaries, they do what they want and they skirt Council’s infrastructure charges — short changing Brisbane residents more than $450 million since 2014.

“This plan also includes references to relocation of the Inner Northern Busway, which could impact the Roma Street station and Brisbane Metro.

“The State has provided no detail and we will not allow a State-led project to jeopardise the Brisbane Metro Project.

“We will be making a formal submission outlining our concerns on the Roma Street Cross River Rail Priority Development Area to the State Government.’’