Concern at Queensland Rugby Union’s new office block plans at Ballymore

The decade-long saga of Ballymore’s bold upgrade is set to continue with new plans released.

The QRU has released details of the latest phase of its upgrade at Ballymore, which has some residents concerned about traffic.

Inner-west residents are meeting tonight to discuss concerns about the latest phase in the decade-long saga surrounding the upgrade of Ballymore, the spiritual “home of rugby’’.

Queensland Rugby Union recently letterboxed residents in Herston about its plans to build three new office blocks and repurpose an existing building as offices.

The structures, fronting busy Butterfield St, would be four storeys high and have a total of 428 car parks.

It is understood the offices would generate income to help offset the cost of maintaining the proposed $30 million National Rugby Training Centre and 10,000 to 12,000 seat stadium.

QRU has approval for a 24,000 seat stadium but decided to build a smaller venue for training and smaller games instead.

The state and federal governments each pledged $15 million for the upgrade.

A development application (DA) for the offices has yet to be lodged.

Resident Sharon Douglas said she was deeply concerned about on-street parking, already a huge issue due to commuters and relatives of patients at nearby Royal Brisbane Hospital.

She said neighbours were also worried about worsening peak-hour traffic and loss of significant trees and green space.

An artist's impression of the proposed High Performance Centre. Courtesy: QRU

But the QRU said the buildings would only appear one storey high from the street and what it was proposing was less dense than allowed under its existing DA.

“The Queensland Rugby Union is currently consulting with our neighbours and other stakeholders about the redevelopment of Ballymore,’’ a spokesman said.

“Ballymore is such an important precinct for Queensland sport and the wider community.

“The QRU want to ensure that any future considerations of its master plan consider this broad stakeholder group to deliver a vibrant and sustainable precinct for rugby and the wider community.

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“We’ll continue talking to our neighbours as we go through the process to revise the planning approvals and build the National Rugby Training Centre and New McLean Stand.’’

Save Ballymore Precinct spokeswoman Libby Nankivell, who lives two streets away, also said she had no concerns about the proposal.

Artist's impression of the proposed National Rugby Training Centre at Ballymore. Courtesy: QRU

“The area is dead, unusable space. I catch the bus along there all the time and I can’t see that it will have an impact on parking or traffic,’’ she said.

“We support the (previously announced) redevelopment with the high performance centre and stadium.

“What’s there at the moment is falling down and in disrepair.

“We use the area to walk our dogs and the proposal is to put in more BBQs and boardwalks — there’s no plan to bring the Reds back, it will just be a boutique stadium.’’

But Ms Douglas said she was worried the offices amounted to commercialisation of what was a residential area.

“If our kids knocked on a random door around here they would know (the occupants) because they have all grown up playing together (on the green space),’’ she said.

“We have a lot of wildlife there. One time there was even a Pacific gull, which you normally only see in the tropics.

“There are a lot of big trees and a bikepath we all use.’’

Ms Douglas said Ballymore was built on land donated to the Government and was designated as a Deed of Grant In Trust (DOGIT) which was supposed to be used only for sport and recreational use.