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Summary coming next month By Mike O’Connor A SUMMARY of community feelings towards future development at Bowen Hills will be released at the end of August. Economic Development Queensland, part of the state government’s Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, is collating input from community information sessions held last month. These were static displays with members of the public asked to place coloured stickers on maps of the Bowen Hills Priority Development Area (PDA) to indicate their concerns and preferences. The PDA is a 108-hectare site bounded roughly by St Paul’s Terrace, Bowen Bridge Road and the Inner City Bypass and encompasses the RNA Showgrounds. The information sessions asked people to respond to the following questions: Which residential uses are suitable for the PDA and where do you consider they should be located? What are the heritage characters or cultural places that you think are important within the Bowen Hills PDA? Which commercial and business uses are suitable for the PDA and where do you think they should be located?
Which road or transport infrastructure improvements are suitable for the PDA and where do you think they should be located? Which retail and entertainment uses are suitable for the PDA and where do you think they should be located? Which parks and public spaces are suitable for the PDA and where do you think they should be located? Between August and October, the EDQ will prepare draft amendments to the Bowen Hills Development scheme which first came into effect in 2009. These will be made public and interested parties then invited to make submissions, with the final scheme due to be presented to the government for approval by December. Employment Minister and Member for Brisbane Central Grace Grace said the RNA showgrounds were one of Brisbane’s most historic locations. “Any development on this site needs to enhance its rich history and help to drive jobs in the local economy, while respecting its unique character. “This review is also an opportunity for us to finalise the heritage assessment of the Tivoli, which is currently under way,” she said.
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Community comment invited THE Brisbane City Council is calling on residents and businesses to have their say on the future of Newstead and parts of Bowen Hills as part of the draft Newstead North Renewal Strategy. City planning chairman Cr Julian Simmonds said the draft renewal strategy would help inform the Newstead North Neighbourhood Plan to guide future development and promote economic and cultural activity. “The Newstead North community will play a vital role in developing a new neighbourhood plan to shape future growth of the area,” Cr Simmonds said. “Newstead currently hosts a mix of activities and this draft renewal strategy will support the ongoing evolution of industrial activities and residential growth along the Brisbane River. “Council wants to ensure the area – one of Brisbane’s few remaining inner-city industrial areas – continues to provide essential industries and services for our city’s inner-north. “The renewal strategy will also focus on the protection of character housing on Bowen Hill, with future development along Breakfast Creek Road promoting the hill’s visual prominence.” The Newstead North Neighbourhood Plan currently captures 17 sites on the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register including Brisbane’s oldest surviving residence, Newstead House. The draft renewal strategy will focus
on areas of growth along Breakfast Creek Road, between Edmund Street and Breakfast Creek, and a small residential redevelopment area in the eastern parts of Maud and Austin Streets, which are both limited to eight storeys. The Newstead North Neighbourhood Plan encompasses Newstead north from Waterloo Street to Breakfast Creek and part of Bowen Hills, featuring 1.66km of waterfront and 4.27 hectares of existing open space. Cr Simmonds said local residents had already provided Council with valuable input, with 160 responses to Council’s initial online survey last year. “The draft renewal strategy has gained valuable input from two meetings held with a community planning team of 26 members from the local community,” he said. “Feedback so far has indicated strong support for taking advantage of the existing open space and improving the quality of pedestrian and cycle connections. “The draft Newstead North Renewal Strategy is open for public feedback until July 29 and I encourage all local residents to have their say.” For more information on the draft Newstead North Renewal Strategy and a map of the area, visit www. brisbane.qld.gov.au/newsteadnorth.
July 2016 villagenews
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