Kangaroo Point residents protest over three-tower development
Member for South Brisbane Jackie Trad has joined angry inner-city residents in a protest that blocked local peak-hour traffic over three 15-storey towers that they say is ‘unsustainable overdevelopment’.
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A contentious proposed high-rise development, labelled as a “vertical cruise ship”, has sparked furore in Brisbane as a group of protestors blocked local peak-hour traffic in opposition of the development.
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Member for South Brisbane Jackie Trad joined 60 local protesters at Kangaroo Point on Wednesday morning, bearing signs and demonstrating their opposition to the “unbridled over-development” of the suburb.
Locals have cited 18 reasons, including “environmental impacts” and “dangers to cyclist and pedestrians” in their opposition to the 108 Lambert St development, with the protest group
slamming the development as “absolutely ridiculous” and describing it as a “vertical cruise ship”.
Organiser Lori Sexton said the Lambert St development would destroy “their amenity, quality of life”.
“Kangaroo Point had the highest density of dwellings in any Brisbane suburb ... the highest traffic densities and highest non-residential traffic flows,” she said.
“This development will greatly increase noise and air pollution, the traffic congestion ... and the wellbeing of the community.”
The group has lodged an e-petition with Brisbane City Council opposing the development.
“We urge all Kangaroo Point residents to say no to 108 Lambert st and join in our campaign,” Ms Sexton said.
Earlier, another protest organiser, Maxine Russell, described the development as “just disgraceful”.
“I’ve got nothing against construction but just as long as it’s the right kind of construction … but this is three towers going up in the smallest footprint, it just doesn’t make sense.”
In July, BCC approved a staged, three-tower, 10 storey development of 200 units on the site.
A new development application lodged on September 8 seeks an additional 5 storeys over each tower – creating an additional 100 units.
Flyers distributed across Brisbane warn the development will create negative impact in terms of overshadowing, airflow, view corridors and no Riverwalk.
“A lot of us are sick and tired of the unsustainable overdevelopment going on around us bringing constant noise, dirt, stop and go signs, etc,” the flyer said.
Ms Russell said locals also had several serious concerns around the development plans, including spacing between the towers, height and a lack of green space incorporated into the design.
“As it is now on that corner there is absolutely zero parking in Kangaroo Point, it’s crazy, it’s dangerous for bicycle riders, it’s just every single thing they are doing it’s wrong,” Ms Russell said.
At present, the site has several 1-2 storey houses.
“It’s kind of really sad, because those pre-1911 cottages they are part of Kangaroo Point,” Ms Russell said. Gabba Ward Greens Councillor Jonathan Sri wrote on Facebook that he also felt there was a long list of design concerns with this project.
“Obviously Kangaroo Point is already a high-density area, but it’s important to get the balance right in terms of public infrastructure and community facilities,” Cr Sri wrote.
“Both the major parties have been cramming more and more for-profit development into neighbourhoods that are already dense enough, while failing to address the gross planning failures of unsustainable outer-suburban car-centric sprawl.”
A Brisbane City Council Spokesman said that it was important to highlight the application is under assessment and no decision has been made.
“We encourage residents to make a submission, with all community feedback taken on board during the assessment phase,” he said.
“Claims made about the riverwalk being jeopardised are false.
“The condition from the first approval would apply to any subsequent applications.
“The condition being that the development not build on the land required to build the riverwalk. This condition has protected this land for a future riverwalk. “
Originally published as Kangaroo Point residents protest over three-tower development