A masterplan which outlines how almost a billion dollars worth of Brisbane's lucrative riverfront land can be developed is to be explained in detail to developers at a $150-a-head lunch today.
The 25 hectare site is bigger than the current SouthBank that looks towards the Riverside Expressway.
The South Brisbane and West End community has received only news from media reports based on a small amount of information released by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk three weeks ago.
The plans for 25 hectares of riverfront land near the Go Between Bridge at South Brisbane has been developed for the past eight months.
There has been no community consulation at this stage.
Journalists might be briefed Thursday morning, according to a spokesman for Cr Quirk.
The land is widely viewed as the best opportunity to re-shape the inner city for at least two decades.
It links the sports facility at Suncorp Stadium - on the other side of the river - with proposed new arts and cultural facilties at South Brisbane, all combined with new unit accommodation along the river.
Residential apartments can be built to 15 floors, while closer to West End - along Montague Road - commercial and retail development can reach eight storeys on large sites.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While local residents are welcoming the development opportunities, they have already expressed concerns that parkland needs to be provided and that an additional school is needed.
The area could house 11,000 residents and employ 8000 people.
The master plan will outline the specific land uses for more than 25 hectares of industrial land, stretching one kilometre along the river from the Gallery of Modern Art around the Brisbane River past the Go Between Bridge to riverside Mollison Street.
Neither Brisbane City Council, nor AECOM - the project design team - would provide any details of the plan this week.
West End Community Association president Dr Erin Evans welcomed the Kuripla MasterPlan as a "fantastic opportunity" for all of Brisbane.
However she said the South Brisbane and West End community was disapponted they had been excluded from the initial planning phase.
"WECA is deeply concerned about the Kurilpa Masterplan process that has kept this a private exercise behind closed doors, with developers given privileged access at the expense of the broader public, " Dr Evans said.
“Our hope was to see another great precinct for the century in front of us,” she said.
“This may include light rail and extensive public open greenspace and designs that respect our subtropical climate.”
Dr Evans said the West End Community Association had asked for briefings from Lord mayor Graham Quirk and from Depuity Premier Jeff Seeney, but had been rejected.
"Neither the Lord Mayor nor the Deputy Premier have responded to our request for access to the same level of information provided to the developers over the last eight months."
Declaration - The author of this article, Tony Moore, resides in West End.
