Plans to revitalise Yeerongpilly site released for public comment

The creation of a vibrant new community on the former Animal Research Institute site at Yeerongpilly has moved a step closer with the release today of the draft planning framework for public consultation.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the State Government was working with Brisbane City Council to deliver what is known as a transit oriented development (TOD) on the 14-hectare site adjoining the Queensland Tennis Centre.

“Our vision is to see a mix of housing types and sizes to suit different lifestyles, and retail outlets including shops, restaurants and offices, all close to the Yeerongpilly train station and other public transport and only six kilometres from the Brisbane CBD,” Mr Seeney said.

“New public spaces, including parks and plazas as well as cyclist and pedestrian-friendly streets, will combine to create an active-lifestyle community of around 1,500 to 1,700 residents.

“This development has the potential to create hundreds of jobs during construction and more opportunities in the retail space on completion, boosting the local economy.

“We committed at the election to deliver better infrastructure and planning and this announcement helps us fulfil that promise.

Mr Seeney said the public would be well aware that part of this site, along with many other riverside suburbs in Brisbane, was flooded in the big wet of 2011.

“It’s important to note that the risk of flooding has been well understood from the outset of planning for this development and this has influenced where development will occur, and the levels at which buildings, roads and services will be constructed,” he said.

“In 2011, just over half the site was affected by the floods and this required us to rethink how we can deliver the development while reducing the risk and not impact surrounding properties.

“Meanwhile, Council introduced a Brisbane Interim Flood Response in its City Plan 2000, which stipulates all new buildings must have habitable floor levels at least half a metre above the January 2011 flood level and new access roads at this level.

“All development on the site will need to comply with the current local and state standards.

“Consistent with the rest of Brisbane, the part of the site that wasn’t affected may be developed at ground level, subject to standard council conditions regarding building floor levels.”

Mr Seeney said his department engaged well-respected external consultants Gilbert and Sutherland to conduct independent hydrological modelling, the results of which have been peer reviewed by other external consultants.

“This modelling shows that while development on the site will remove some floodplain storage from the river catchment, this will have no measureable impact – gauged to be less than 1mm — on the levels of flooding adjacent, or up to three kilometres upstream or downstream of the site.

“A lot of thought and planning has gone into this project to ensure the Newman Government can deliver on its commitment to release surplus government-owned land for development and help stimulate the property and construction industry as promised at the election. "I encourage the public to take time to resd the Draft Detailed Plan of Development and the Draft Yeerongpilly TOD State Planning Regulatory Provision 2014 and make a submission before the 14 March 2014 deadline."

To find out more about the Yeerongpilly TOD and how to make a submission, phone 13 QGOV (13 74 68), email yeerongpillytod@dsdip.qld.gov.au or visit www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/yeerongpillytod

[ENDS] 31 January 2014

Media Contact: Jane Paterson 0417 281 754