MULTIPLEX Brookfield could be sent back to the drawing board on its $1.7 billion North Bank development in Brisbane after Queensland Premier Anna Bligh rejected the project.
Bligh yesterday refused to sign the contact with Multiplex Brookfield and announced a new process for the redevelopment of North Bank –
This project is turning into a major headache for Multiplex Brookfield since it was awarded in February last year. It was given the greenlight in December last year after being forced to adapt its original proposal earlier in the year following concerns raised during the public consultation process.
“We’ve taken the community’s concerns about the current proposal seriously enough to ask for help in working out just what is acceptable.
“To that end we’ll invite critics, planners, engineers and environmentalists, special interest groups such as the National Trust, Government agencies, Brisbane City Council and the development industry to get together and work on a new proposal to fulfil our goal of opening up this neglected part of the river to the public,” she added.
“We believe the northbank of the river should be revitalised and given back to the people.
“The bottom line is the public supports a new development at North Bank which can enhance public space and improve community facilities. We are committed to providing a new North Bank for the public at no cost to taxpayers,” Bligh said.
The new process, Enquiry by Design, had has been used in QLD and other States before.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Paul Lucas said building over the
“And all along we’ve told Multiplex Brookfield we expected the issues to be examined in detail and solutions provided before we can commit to a contract,” he added.
In December last year, Multiplex Brookfield was forced to refine its design, including repositioning one of the commercial buildings closer to the freeway and set back all buildings at least 10 metres from the river.
In addition, the height of buildings closest to the riverfront has been reduced from 25 levels to eight.
Yesterday Lucas said he would meet with the National Trust this week to discuss concerns and would write to other stakeholders by the end of the week inviting them to be involved.
“We make no apologies for wanting to get this right and ensure the public has confidence in the design. The public supports our efforts to turn this site into something worthy of this great city. 80% of respondents to our surveys want us to get on with the job,”
“There aren’t many pieces of transport infrastructure I don’t like. But I’m not a fan of what the Riverside Expressway did to the river. It left this city with an under-developed, under-utilised, and unsightly area that would not be tolerated within 25 minutes drive from any major city’s centra l retail and business district let alone less than five minutes walk away.
“And while we’re stuck with the Riverside Expressway, we’re not necessarily stuck with the bad results it has visited on the public’s access to the
It has been almost six years since North Bank was first proposed, Bligh said the government expects to receive the recommendation from the enquiry-by-design process and begin further negotiations with Multiplex by September.
North Bank is not the only project by Multiplex Brookfield facing fierce opposition from the QLD Government.
In February this year, the Bligh Government was looking to potentially stop Multiplex Brookfield and ISPT’s proposed $800 redevelopment of the Regent Theatre complex in
The government wanted the proposal by Multiplex and ISPT for a 38 level office building on the site to be reviewed.
Australian Property Journal
