Brisbane City Council could turn the former site of the historic Hawbryn House into a community hub if plans come together and once investigations are complete.
Hawbryn House was gutted by a suspicious fire on 17 Oct 2020.
Since none of the house’s magnificent structure could be saved, Council is considering drawing up a new masterplan that will turn the site into a useful community space.
Councillor Greg Adermann confirmed the plans in a message to his constituents.
“Council is developing a concept plan for the site and will soon be undertaking consultation with key stakeholders and the general public,” he wrote.
The Hawbryn House, a classic Federation house with bells in each room, was originally built in Kangaroo Point for Sir John Pidgeon. It was a prominent site in Brisbane’s social scene for many years and was also once the home of Brisbane’s first solicitors, Maldwyn Montgomery Edwards.
In 1981, the Burton-Jones family bought the house from Mr Pidgeon. According to Joan Burton-Jones, Mr Pidgeon agreed to the sale since Council would not allow him to make further developments on his riverside property.
The Burton-Jones family moved Hawbryn House in set pieces to Anstead on 506 Hawkesbury Road. It was next to the cottage of Harold Gordon Sugars.
Mr Sugars lived in Sugars Cottage since the 1920s. After his death, the cottage became part of the Hawbryn site.
Photo Credit: Domain.Com.Au
The Hawbryn House was integral to the Australian Open Garden Scheme to help the Australian Koala Foundation that protects the bushlands in the western part of Queensland.
In 2013, Stefan and Lisa Dopkin bought and refurbished the property. The ownership would once again change hands in 2017 after the Council acquired the property as part of its Bushland Acquisition Programme.
The Council deemed the site of ecological importance, connecting two bushland blocks.
However, over the years, the house became a regular target for vandals, according to the preliminary police reports after the fire. Ms Burton-Jones, who now resides in England, was devastated to see the house crumble in the fire as she watched the news. Investigations are still on-going.
“The one good thing to come from the fire is that the original Sugars Cottage appears to have survived and I know the Moggill Historical Society is keen to provide their input about the future of the cottage as part of that consultation,” Mr Adermann said.
Year 12 students of Kenmore State High School are petitioning for the traditional Uniform Swap to be reinstated.
Students of Kenmore State High School are petitioning for the reinstatement of Uniform Swap — a traditional celebration where male and female students swap school uniforms. The petition says that the Uniform Swap Day, which they say is an innocent celebration, was banned because of a claim that the celebration teases and ridicules boys who want to wear skirts.
However, the Uniform Swap was not the first to be “taken away” from them, the petition says. Other celebrations they are no longer able to take part in include the 100-day celebration, the mural, the last free dress day as character initials, muck up day and the official Schoolies 2020 celebration.
“The Year 12 Uniform Swap is not performed by students with a satirical and insensitive intention, rather it is a representation of the cohorts’ unity and friendship,” the petition said.
“The normalisation of boys wearing skirts will not be a value within Kenmore State High School unless its admin grants students the opportunity of doing so as a tradition and as a promotion to younger grades (who see us as role models).”
The petition, which has gathered 753 signatures so far, likewise stated that students were told that the school formal will be cancelled if they choose to participate in the said tradition. It is a plan of action that they say is “insensitive and harsh” and will leave students feeling helpless and disappointed.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said that the school will put in place a program instead to acknowledge the conclusion of the students’ formal schooling so they can stay focused on the exam preparation. Activities that will be part of the program include a senior formal, a parade, a farewell BBQ organised by their teachers, a special Valedictory celebration, a full day at a theme park.
Displaced workers at the Lewis Bros Mitre 10 in South Brisbane will start working at the Kenmore site, located at the Kenmore Village Shopping Centre, after the 23-year-old Cordelia Street outlet closed down for good on Sunday, 6 Sept 2020.
Deliveries from the shuttered store will now come from the inner west site as well, which means there will be no job losses or halting of services from the former outlet.
Brett Richardson, the manager at the handyman store on Cordelia St, said that the rents were “unrealistically high” thus they decided not to renew the lease. Warwick Lewis independently owns both the South Brisbane site and the Kenmore store under the Mitre 10 brand.
Photo Credit: Lewis Bros Mitre 10 Kenmore/Google Maps
Currently, the Cordelia St site has no existing development application. With the current public health crisis, the building might remain closed for a long time.
“Sadly this is a common phenomenon in the inner-city… Even when a property owner has no immediate plans to redevelop a site, they often prefer to keep properties empty because they can claim it as a tax write-off. They advertise it for lease at an unreasonably high rent, and when they can’t find any takers, they leave it vacant and declare it as a loss for tax purposes,” Councillor Jonathan Sri posted on Facebook following the business closure.
“The loss of retailers like this means that residents have to drive further away if they need hardware supplies, which in turn generates more traffic, and makes it harder for people to live a car-free lifestyle.”
Photo Credit: Lewis Bros Mitre 10 Kenmore/Google Maps
Kenmore’s Mitre 10 outlet is 12 km off South Brisbane or a 21-minute drive on Milton Rd. The Elizabeth St outlet is closer but it’s owned by a different independent entrepreneur.
A 3.25-hectare property owned by the Sunland Group is up for grabs in Kenmore. Dubbed Kenmore Views, the site on 20 Margaret Court has existing development approval from the Brisbane City Council.
Kenmore Views was planned as a 96-unit premium townhomes development near the Brisbane CBD and the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre. However, under the new conditions of the Council’s planning parameters, the site will likely be one of the last few townhomes to be built in the western corridor in the next couple of years. Thus, its development approval is now deemed rare.
“In Kenmore, Brisbane City Council planning parameters have effectively ‘banned townhouses’, meaning townhouse sites are becoming increasingly rare and highly sought-after,” Adam Rubie, the development site manager said in a statement.
“At present, there is a very limited supply of new apartments in inner Brisbane, with the inner west representing approximately 4 percent of future apartment supply across Brisbane’s inner city,” he added. “Stock is rapidly declining to a point where our research outlines there will be less than five projects above 50 apartments, under construction across the inner city by the end of 2021.
“For this reason, we are anticipating strong interest for both assets, from local, interstate and international developers and investors.”
Photo Credit: Google Maps
The Council voted on banning townhomes and apartment blocks to protect the character of low-density residential suburbs in November 2019. The move came after a series of consultations with the developers and the community since September 2018.
“We regularly see amendments to the plan come through and the plans are a living, breathing thing, so we will continue to see changes going forward, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said. “These changes are based on the changing needs of the community, based on feedback, and also based on the need to provide more housing in Brisbane as our population grows. It is my belief that low density should be low density, and that is exactly what we are putting forward.”
A special school and three new primary schools are set to be built and completed in 2022-2023 in Queensland’s southeast region, including one that will stand between Kenmore and Indooroopilly in the western suburbs.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the plans in the Parliament Tuesday, adding that the projects will have an allocated budget of $245 million.
Ms Palaszczuk has identified the location of the special school in Coomera. The new site should ease off the overwhelming number of children in existing special needs schools in Logan (Beenleigh Special School) and Southport (Southport Special School).
The new primary schools, on the other hand, have been planned for Greenbank in North Maclean near Logan, the south of Caloundra, and a yet to be determined suburb in Brisbane.
“A new primary school will also be built at a location to be identified in Brisbane’s inner west,” the Premier said. This school, which will have a $65 million budget, is expected to reduce overcrowding at schools in Indooroopilly, Toowong, Kenmore and St. Lucia.
Education Minister Grace Grace said that there will be an “extensive community consultation process” to determine which Brisbane inner west community will best benefit from having a new school. Preparing Queensland’s education infrastructure will also provide employment opportunities.
“We are focused on getting people back to work as we unite and recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic, with these projects expected to support more than 870 local jobs,” Ms Grace said. “These projects are building on our record investment in building new schools and expanding existing schools in high growth areas.”
MP for Moggill Dr Christian Rowan welcomed the news with much excitement, having campaigned for a new school in Brisbane’s inner west for years.
“Our schools have been so severely overcrowded that classrooms are full, pool and library time is limited, before and after-school care services have long waitlists and demountable classrooms are being erected on school ovals, encroaching on students’ play area,” he said. “I’m so excited they’ve listened to the community.”
Despite the economic downturn brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Brisbane’s highly desired areas for buying acreages are reportedly experiencing an upswing.
Suburbs like Brookfield and Pullenvale are attracting plenty of interest from people who are considering a move to a semi-rural property where they can have plenty of outdoor space to relish in the beauty of nature and its natural benefits.
Brookfield and Pullenvale, both ideal areas for acreage living, are experiencing a Renaissance of sorts. In both suburbs, eager buyers are looking at properties that can range anywhere from one to 20 acres.
Those exploring to get back to basics, to slow down their pace, and to figure out how to build a sustainable lifestyle — amid the hoarding and depletion of supplies as highlighted in this pandemic — are finding that these suburbs southwest of the city remain seemingly untouched by modern developments.
Yet Brookfield and Pullenvale are still close to the hub in Brisbane CBD that it’s fine to miss most of what’s happening there. It’s also easy to plan a quick trip to the city when needed.
This 1.12ha property on McMullen Road, Brookfield has its own swimming pool, tennis court, rainwater storage tank and solar hot water. The space is great for riding horses or bikes in the paddocks, with a 360-degree view of mountains and valleys.
Photo Credit: Rachael Spinks/Spinks & Co Residential/Domain
In Kamala Drive, Pullenvale sits a 4ha house that looks like a plantation mansion. Impressive for private and family entertainment, this home has a gourmet kitchen and casual kitchen, as well as an alfresco area with an in-ground pool and spa.
Photo Credit: Paris Arthur/Place Graceville/Domain
Observers note that this trend has been building up for some time. The isolation during the coronavirus lockdown has had people thinking that living close to a densely-populated community does have its drawbacks and risks, as it’s these places where outbreaks usually start.
People are starting to realise that there are other things you can do in your own house than sit on the couch or be stuck indoors. The idea of having a bigger backyard has never been more appealing than today.
At least three distinct markets find the allure of living in Brookfield and Pullenvale — the knockdown market, the city-dwellers and people with money to invest in a bigger property, according to Domain.
Attention: Kenmore, Kenmore Hills, Brookfield, and Pullenvale folks! Brisbane City Council has suspended the annual kerbside collection for two years. Wondering what to do with your large household items that have been earmarked for the kerbside pile? Take a good look at what you can upcycle!
BCC’s announcement has been met with mixed feelings as residents come to terms with another aspect of the “new normal.” For some people, however, the news has sparked a fresh wave of creativity, especially since most simply just have a lot of time on their hand.
Take a look at these upcycling ideas that could give those “unwanted” household items a new lease on life.
Washing Machine Drum… Table!
Here’s an ingenious way to use that stainless drum from your unrepairable washing machine and turn it into a piece of furniture that’s sure to spark many lively conversations at your next (socially distanced) dinner party.
Art studio L’Atelier d’Orel took the spinning drum from an unrepairable washing machine and turned it into this industrial design gem. Follow these instructions to create one at home.
Garden on Wheels
Some people throw their old bikes away or keep them stored away, unused and neglected.
Nick Pelis of The Mod Zoo turned his computer case into a drinks dispenser. You can use it to dispense beer or coffee! Or both. Not at the same time, of course, unless you have more than one unused computer case lying around.
Fridge Reincarnated!
Turn your old refrigerator into a rustic outdoor cooler. Perfect for backyard barbecues or sizzles.
After making what you can out of what would have been the pile originally destined for your kerbside, head on out to BCC’s tip shops and resource recovery centres.
Not until you’ve tried your hand at all these DIY stuff first, of course. Here’s one last set of ideas to spur you on. Behold, the ottoman! For when you feel “tired.”
For Chris Saad, who spent years away from his native Brisbane, working in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley, the homecoming that began in 2017 is now all the sweeter, as he exchanged his posh, inner-city digs for a new home in Fig Tree Pocket.
Before coming back to Brisbane, the self-described product & startup builder, serial entrepreneur, strategic advisor, angel investor, and podcaster had made quite a name for himself amidst Silicon Valley’s highly competitive tech environment.
Photo Credit : https://www.chrissaad.com/
Mr Saad was the Head of Product at Uber. He is also a co-founder of the DataPortability Project. “I build strategies, products, messages, brands, ecosystems, standards and startups,” is how he describes what he does.
He and his wife Aliya closed the deal in May 2020 on the purchase of a $2.42 million retreat situated on a quiet, leafy cul de sac in River Park Place.
Photo Credit: McGrath Estate Agents Paddington
The sprawling 1,358-square-metre property, listed by Alex Jordan of McGrath Estate Agents and designed by Tabrizi Home Builders, embodies the laid-back, family-oriented lifestyle that Mr Saad and his wife Aliya have envisioned for their family.
Photo Credit: McGrath Estate Agents Paddington
“I think we had this inkling that we wanted to go to a leafy area we were ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ and we loved our apartment that we were in but when COVID hit it solidified the idea in our mind about having our own sanctuary. I think, trend-wise, that urbanisation of people moving into the cities will reverse now,” Mr Saad said.
As people used to high-rise apartment living, the couple said that the coronavirus pandemic has given them fresh insights about their priorities in life.
“My whole career I had been living in these high rise apartments … but we realised our priority was about our family and creating a sanctuary where family can come and enjoy a special place,” Mr Saad said.
“Sanctuary” is certainly the vibe of his new home, with luxury features that include an outdoor entertainment area with a fire pit, Instagram-worthy gradens, a gourmet kitchen, and other amenities that give the home the qualities of a luxurious, urban retreat.
Photo Credit: McGrath Estate Agents Paddington
Both Mr Saad and his wife work remotely so the daily commute to an office that most people deal with was not an issue.
Their new, elevated abode is located metres from riverfront parks, the boat ramp, city express buses, and in the catchment of excellent private and public schools.
Photo Credit: https://www.chrissaad.com/
Three years after moving back to Brisbane, Chris and Aliya Saad are finally home.
Greg Adermann was elected Councillor for Pullenvale Ward in March 2020. In this column, Cr Adermann reminisces about how his years in journalism, sports and event management, and marketing management, have all led to his present life of service to his constituents.
Presenting a major event is a lot like a duck swimming. Everything on the surface appears calm but underwater, the duck is paddling furiously. There is so much going on behind the scenes and if all goes to plan, nobody notices. People enjoy the event and go home happy.
It’s a real buzz seeing a major event like State of Origin or a concert come together and the look of satisfaction on people’s faces as they leave the venue.
Contrary to what many people believe, you don’t sit around watching events when you work at a major venue. Everyone has an event day role and if they all do their job, everything goes like clockwork.
There were a number of standout moments in the 17 years that I spent with ASM Global. State of Origin for me is the biggest event on our sporting calendar, so they always rate highly. The best is when Queensland wins and the Origin moment was the Billy Slater individual try in 2004.
Billy Slater in State of Origin at Suncorp (Photo Credit: Suncorp Stadium)
Concerts are huge and of the 25 or so we presented, Paul McCartney was my favourite. As a massive Beatles fan, nothing was ever going to top that. Coming within two metres of him as he left the venue was an unexpected bonus.
Paul McCartney performing at Suncorp (Photo Credit: Suncorp Stadium)
The Welsh fans staying back after losing the 2003 Rugby World Cup quarter-final to England and singing “Delilah” was another special moment.
Stephen Moore (Reds), Jordan Henderson (Roar), and Sam Thaiday (Broncos), three captains at the Stadium (Photo Credit: Suncorp Stadium)
Getting to know Jeff Horn, who beat Manny Pacquiao on one fateful July afternoon in 2017 to claim a world boxing title, and working with such a professional team from Liverpool when they played an exhibition game at the Stadium, were also very memorable events.
Jeff Horn won the WBO World welterweight title in the Battle of Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium (Photo Credit: tss.ib.tv)
Indeed, I am grateful for a life filled with very special moments.
I come into the role of an elected public official at the most challenging time imaginable. Who would have thought at the start of my journey in late January that the world would look the way it does today?
I come from a simple background. Born and educated in Kingaroy, I lived on a farm for a number of years. I began my career working in country and regional newspapers and in television, before moving to Brisbane to pursue my dream of becoming a State Government Ministerial Press Secretary.
After eight years in that role, I evolved into a communications and marketing executive in the corporate world, a role that I did up until seeking pre-selection.
I’ve been fortunate during the past 28 years to have worked for a number of blue-chip companies, including Telstra, Foxtel, the International Management Group and most recently, ASM Global, previously known as AEG Ogden, the company to whom I owe my Suncorp Stadium moments.
In 1991, my wife Cia and I built our home in Chapel Hill and raised our family. We still live there today. We part-owned and managed a small business in Kenmore for about five years and have been active in local School and community groups, building many friendships that will last a lifetime.
I am proud to be a member of the Kenmore Rotary Club and intend remaining so, helping out with the outstanding work they do whenever I can.
At the Kenmore Bears jersey presentation night (Photo Credit: Suncorp Stadium)
I’m also proud to be a Life Member of the Kenmore Bears Junior AFL Club, despite never having kicked an AFL ball in my life. Together with a number of other local parents, we helped save what was an embattled Club and today, I look with pride at how the current group of volunteer parents have taken it to another level.
I made a promise then, as their local representative, and will honour my undertaking to be available, transparent, consultative, and accountable. I won’t advocate a position to Council until I’m certain about what my constituents think first.
It was pretty obvious early into my campaign what the main issues were. In no particular order, these are:
the proposed Bellbowrie Green Bridge;
traffic congestion on Moggill Road;
improved public transport services; and
the need for a local community centre.
Given that three of these issues have a common theme, I am excited to have been appointed to Council’s Public and Active Transport Committee. I look forward to working with my colleague, Cr Murphy, as its Chair to determine the strategy for how we can take these services to another level, not only in my Ward but for our great city.
I would like to thank the majority of residents in the Pullenvale Ward who put their trust in me to represent them in City Hall for the next four years, as a proud member of “Team Schrinner.”
Proud to be on Team Schrinner (Photo Credit: Facebook/Greg Adermann)
What the Lord Mayor achieved on the 28th of March was a monumental feat, coming out on top with his personal vote and retaining all 19 Wards for the Liberal National Party. Clearly, his message that “experience matters in such times” resonated with the electorate.
As the Lord Mayor reminded us after the election, we all need to get back to work as quickly as possible and do whatever we can in our communities to assist in Brisbane’s recovery efforts.
It is an unbelievable honour to serve. My pledge to everyone, irrespective of who they voted for, is to work hard and tirelessly in their interests, and not let them down.
That is precisely what I have been doing, working hard to identify those at most risk who need help.
My life and professional experience, coupled with the support of my fellow Federal and State representatives, local community groups and leaders, have prepared me well for the challenges that await.
Who knows, I may even have time to go back to the Stadium, this time as a fan. I suspect though, that I’ll always be looking around picking up little things that mostly go unnoticed. Old habits die hard, particularly when they have served one in good stead.
Greg Adermann is the Councillor for Pullenvale Ward, which comprises the suburbs of Anstead, Bellbowrie, Brookfield, Karana Downs, Kenmore, Kenmore Hills, Kholo, Lake Manchester, Moggill, Mt Crosby, Pinjarra Hills, Pullenvale, Upper Brookfield and parts of Chuwar and Chapel Hill.
Cr Adermann can be reached via email at pullenvale.ward@bcc.qld.gov.au
Ken Ryan has lived in the Kenmore area for 34 years and as one of Brisbane’s longest-serving Town Planners (initially working in Council then in private practice advising clients seeking planning approvals), he has witnessed many changes to Kenmore, Brookfield, Pullenvale, Anstead, Bellbowrie, Moggill, and Pinjarra Hills. As past president of Kenmore Rotary, he has also seen developments in the local community. In this monthly column, Ken will talk about his observations of the place he has called home since 1986.
Kenmore now thrives on convenient amenities and retailers that have evolved over many years to service the local community.
The shopping centre at 2060 Moggill Road that now houses The Courtyard Medical Centre, Medicines 4 Less, the Chinese restaurant, the burrito bar, 7 Eleven, Billtong and Jerky shop, 4069 real estate and Red Rooster was born in the 1990s. It initially included one of the early self-storage businesses as well as some of the tenants that remain today.
Ron Gove, a local
engineer (and a 10-pound pom!) and several of his mates who were expats
from Papua New Guinea, were clients of mine that identified an opportunity at
the corner of Almay and Moggill Roads at Kenmore.
Our aim was to
demolish houses that were a sub-optimal use for their position, and to develop
a strip shopping centre with retail and office spaces, and a professional
mix of tenants.
Photo Credits: Google Maps
Because we
limited the shopping centre to under 500 square metres, we did not require the rezoning
that major developers had laboured to achieve over decades. Our approach
ensured the development was limited to an advertised consent application, now
known as a Material Change of Use, and was achieved quickly.
Strategic Location and Mix of Businesses
Our team of
experienced investors bought up four dilapidated houses that were past their
prime. After approaching well-known developer Griffin and Knowlman, we secured a
small vacant lot for motor vehicle access to Almay street. This resulted in an
efficient and safe vehicle access to Moggill Road, exit access via Almay street
and through the intersection west to Bellbowrie, South to Kenmore Road and
north-bound back to Chapel Hill and Indooroopilly.
A combined site
of some 4,498 square metres provided scope for a variety of different
residential and non-residential development options. The team contemplated town
houses, but saw a greater opportunity for convenience shopping, offices and other
uses such as travel agencies, that could not be accommodated at Indooroopilly Shopping
Centre or at Kenmore Village Centre.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Although this was
before the rise of Brisbane’s coffee culture, it was not long before our team
also leveraged the changing mix of urban use and community demand to jump on
that bandwagon. We sought and gained approval for the Coffee Club development
with real estate office, medical facilities opposite at the corner of Merlin
Terrace.
We had some hurdles with the adjoining Red Rooster developers but more importantly, we ultimately worked with the local primary school to be able to obtain physical connections to BCC services. In exchange, we provided a guaranteed drop-off zone for parents who could use surplus car parking during their peak drop off times, such as Kenmore Primary School, which had virtually no on-site staff parking or safe drop-off areas.
Also, an at-grade
walkway was offered and accepted as a unique solution to their long-term issues.
Historically, many state schools have been unable to provide adequate drop off infrastructure
for parents of students.
When Alignment of Interests Results in Positive
Outcomes
Having the nous
to nurture this collaborative approach was critical to ensuring a positive
outcome through an alignment of interests. This principle also holds true
when interfacing with sensitive residential uses.
For example, several
owners in Cranwood St were concerned about reverse amenity issues, such as
potential noise, headlight glare, and visual amenity issues, being situated at the
rear of a shopping centre.
Cranwood St at the rear of the shopping centre (Photo Credit: Google Maps)
Through
consultation, our team identified landscaping solutions for the rear walls and suggested
the use of acoustic devices and blank walls to minimise noise impacts for the
new shopping centre, and a restaurant at the front of the well-designed and
articulated building form.
Consequently, an
owner commended Ron and his team for exceeding promises and obligation during
the official completion of the project and opening of the development. This
affirmation was reassuring, Our approach of commitment was supported by the
team, many of whom lived in the locality with their families and valued the positive
regard that the success brought to their reputation in the community.
Again, an
alignment of interests can provide a positive outcome for all, and requires a
deft touch where developer and resident interactions can typically be
adversarial.
Proper Consultation and Professional Coorperation
Then-Councillor Margaret de Witt was consulted before lodgement. Concerns were also addressed in our professional reporting, with input coming from various disciplines, such as Town Planning, Architecture, Civil Engineering Services, Traffic Engineering, and Acoustic Engineering, among others.
Liaison with Main
Roads Department (now DTMR) resolved their issues. After some protracted
negotiations, our clients paid for the upgrade of the sequencing of the
intersection, even though the development would not trigger intersection
upgrades for many years. Despite not being required by legislation, the future
public costs of the upgrade were levied by the Main Roads Department on our
client.
Cooperation between the adjoining owners resulted in complicated easement arrangements between the owners and their customers, providing optimum sightlines for both cars and pedestrians. This was particularly significant, knowing that in the future, the area opposite Merlin Terrace would be closed to right-turn movements.
Identifying Opportunities
Two prominent
lanes of parking spaces and underground car parking provided surplus convenient
car parking facilities. The wide verandas and walkways complemented the single-storey
appearance of the property from Moggill Road.
The undercroft at
the rear of the building provided space for much-needed self-storage units. At
that time, these were only available across the Brisbane River at Sumner Park and
no other storage or industrial facilities existed to service the community.
When the
development opened, the lineup of core tenants included 7-Eleven, a large
restaurant, liquor outlet, jeweller, travel agent, hairdresser, and video shop,
to name a few.
Unfortunately, subsequent
changes with the gazettal of the City Plan 2000 saw changes to limit
convenience shopping centres of this size. Further changes in 2014 saw the need
to identify any lack of vacancies in existing centres and demonstrate virtually
overwhelming needs before any new project is approved. Usually, these projects would
be limited to under 250 square metres for a new location.
Existing approved
centres and strips enjoy protection from these new projects. In my experience,
this stifles innovation and job creation. It also limits a flexible response to
evolving local needs and to changes in community composition.
Rather than being
a dis-incentive to pursue development opportunities, it reinforces the
importance of engaging experienced town planners, whose success and longevity
has relied on their ability to adapt and respond to changing planning
frameworks, economic conditions, political
environments, and even the rise of NIMBism.
While some
negative sentiment will suggest contraction of the shopping centre and mixed-use
market due to online shopping and the affects of COVID-19, I submit that this
industry has seen the rebound of many a downturn amidst many innovations such
as the proliferation of coffee shops, health food shops, malls, flea markets,
cinemas, farm produce markets, internet cafes, car boot sales, and outdoor and
footpath dining.
The experiences
of meeting in new locations with innovative attractions will inevitably rely on
the experiences of past projects, knowing the way through legislation, and
addressing community issues.
Ken Ryan has worked both sides of the Planning fence, having started his working life in the planning department of Brisbane City Council. Ken Ryan & Associates has been established for more than 18 years and has a team of dedicated and experienced Town Planners with specific core skills in Development Assessment, town planning site investigations, and planning scheme preparation and implementation.
