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New Building Proposed For St Paul’s School At Bald Hills

Photo credit: https://pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au/

St. Paul’s School, a leading Anglican school in Bald Hills, has lodged a development application for a new resource centre in the heart of its campus.

Based on a development application lodged with Brisbane City Council, the proposed resource centre is going to be a 1-to 2-storey education building which will provide new resource and collaboration spaces, a senior study centre, hospitality and makers spaces, and flexible learning spaces.

Photo credit: https://pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au/

A report prepared by Ethos Urban on behalf of the applicant states that the new facility will be consistent with most buildings. The goal is to create an outdoor environment that connects with the indoor spaces allowing learning to extend beyond the walls of the building.

It would be located in the centre of the campus adjacent to the existing Wellbeing Centre and Sutton Building. In order to accommodate IT learning facilities, part of the existing Giese Library will be refurbished. The existing cafe in Sutton Building also needs to be demolished in order to proceed with the construction of a new building.

Heritage Impact

Photo credit: Heritage branch staff – State of Queensland: Queensland Heritage Register: 602346 – Hoop Pines (2009)/ Wikimedia Commons Photo credit: Heritage branch staff – State of Queensland: Queensland Heritage Register: 602346 – Hoop Pines (2009)/ Wikimedia Commons

The new development will be situated approximately 50 metres from two hoop pine trees that are known to have cultural heritage significance.

The hoop pines are indicative of the pattern of Queensland settlement. They’re associated with the evolution of non-indigenous settlement in the Moreton Bay district in the 1850s and with the earliest development of the Bald Hills district in particular.

To alleviate any possible concerns on the heritage impact of the development, a statement has been prepared by Ivan McDonald Architects, assuring the public that there will be no adverse visual or physical impacts on the cultural heritage significance of the place that will result from the proposed development.

“Although not strictly within our area of expertise, it is also noted that the 50m separation between the proposed building and the hoop pines is a considerable distance and is unlikely to have any detrimental physical impact on the health or vigour of the hoop pines,” Ivan McDonald Architects stated in the documents.

Guzman Y Gomez to Build New Restaurant in Boondall

A development application was recently lodged with Council to revamp the foodie corner on Sandgate and Zillmere Roads in Boondall into the Mexican fast-food restaurant, Guzman Y Gomez.

The new eatery will take over the former location of the Turkish family restaurant and shisha bar, Sultans, which closed in October 2020 after 15 years in the business. Pre-social media age, the said corner was also the site of another family restaurant called Bernie’s.

The restaurant will join other eateries such as Hungry Jacks, Noodlebox, Zarraffa’s Coffe at the Boondall Convenience Centre.

Photo Credit: PD Online/Brisbane City Council

Guzman Y Gomez plans to build an indoor and outdoor dining space with a drive-thru section and an 11-car parking area, including one PWD space. The proposal indicated that the restaurant will be a 24/7 diner.

The developers said that whilst the building will undergo a redesign, its core structures will remain. The emphasis, however, will be given to the drive-thru facility as patrons in suburban Brisbane are more inclined to use this pick-up service, especially during the pandemic.

The development application (DA A005647805) was submitted in January 2021. Council has yet to decide if it’s approved or will need further revisions.

Guzman Y Gomez was founded 15 years ago and has over 135 franchise operations across Australia. It has outlets in Singapore, Tokyo and Illinois as well.

Carseldine Village Terrace Homes Will be 100% Solar Powered

Carseldine Village, the ongoing residential development on Beams Road, will be using 100 percent solar power, enabling the homeowners to cut down on their electricity expenses.

The State Government recently announced that the terrace homes development will be “zero net energy emission homes” and will greatly help Queensland achieve the targetted 50 percent renewable energy by 2030.

“All the Carseldine Village terrace homes and the Oxley Songbird detached residential dwellings homes will come with solar PV, battery storage systems, heat pump hot water systems, WiFi air conditioning and will be electric vehicle charger ready,” Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said. “This could save owners up to $1,600 per year off their power bills.”

The same zero net energy emission system is also being adapted at Songbird Oxley, another government-led residential development in the western suburbs.

A landmark deal between Natural Solar, Australia’s largest solar battery installer, and U.S. tech company, Tesla, was recently signed as well, which will deliver Tesla Powerwall packages to the Oxley homes, saving the residents $2,000 per year.

“Homeowners at Songbird Oxley can expect to save up to $2000 per year, delivering a return on investment in around 5 years. With solar, you typically generate more energy than you need, so by combining it with the Tesla Powerwall, it can be stored and used when needed,” Natural Solar CEO Chris Williams said.

Mr Miles said that they are hoping more builders and developers will aspire to develop zero-emission homes following these two innovations.

Beams Road Overpass Project to Unveil Business Case in Early 2021

Plans for the construction of a significant local road in Carseldine are moving along as the government expects to unveil its business case for the Beams Road Overpass project in early 2021.

The business case should incorporate feedback from the public and the experts in designing the Beams Road Overpass versus its cost estimates following the end of the community consultation in October 2020.

Workers from the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) have done on-site investigations to check if the ideas received during the community sessions are possible.

The preferred design underscores the following benefits and impacts:

completely remove the rail level crossing
includes active transport paths for walking, bike riding and mobility devices.
potential to impact residential properties
will reduce the number of car parks at the existing Carseldine park ‘n’ ride, however, this impact will be offset by the development of a new park ‘n’ ride area on the eastern side of the rail line

The road that will connect the northern suburbs communities aims to improve travel time and safety, as well as ease the congestion for commuters. Once the business plan is completed and released, the TMR aims to start the overpass construction by late 2021.

A commitment of $128 million from the Queensland Government in June 2020 accelerated this project, which will also ental upgrades to the Carseldine park ‘n’ ride. Brisbane City Council and the Australian Government have also set aside funding, rounding up the total investment to $248 million.

For questions and comments about the Beams Road Overpass project, contact the project team on metropolitanregion@tmr.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 3066 4338.

Carseldine Village: Stage 1 Completion Target Set for February 2021

Stage 1 of the Carseldine Village project, fast-tracked by the Queensland Government in mid-2020, could meet its targetted completion date in February 2021, allowing the first set of homeowners to move into the facility by the middle of the year.

Construction of the Carseldine Village Stage 1 includes the 53-terrace residential units, the aged care facility, and road upgrades to three nearby intersections to improve access and traffic flow. The project has brought on over 60 local jobs for the civil works and an additional 50 jobs for the construction of the terrace homes.

The precinct has been dubbed as the “first residential development in Queensland to commit to delivering net zero energy emission homes with energy saving features.”

The terrace homes will incorporate solar power, heat pump hot water systems, smart-phone controlled home airconditioning system and a garage with an electric vehicle charger.

Whilst Stage 1 has been progressing, civil and electric work has begun in December for Stage 2. This next project will add 49 more terrace homes to the village and should be completed by the yearend.

In January 2020, the village opened the four-hectare sports and recreational facility, The Green.

Developed for community use, The Green’s facilities include three soccer fields, two tennis/netball courts, two volleyball courts, half-court basketball, all abilities playground, yoga lawn, fitness equipment, BBQ area, changing rooms with public toilets, shaded seating and 120 car parks.

Carseldine Village is on the former QUT Carseldine campus, which has been closed since 2008. In 2012, the site became a Government Office Precinct but four years later, plans to redevelop the site into a mixed use space with dwellings was lodged with the Council.

Have Your Say on the Draft Strategy for the Bridgeman Downs Neighbourhood Plan

Photo credit: Google Maps

BCC is asking for community feedback on the draft strategy for the Bridgeman Downs Neighbourhood Plan. Be sure to have your say by 16 November 2020.

Council is currently in the process of creating a new neighbourhood plan for Bridgeman Downs. The new neighbourhood plan will help guide future development and coordinate land use and infrastructure at Bridgeman Downs over a 10-year period and beyond.

Council will use the community feedback received on this draft strategy to prepare a draft neighbourhood plan and once completed, will form part of Brisbane City Plan 2014.

According to the feedback gathered during the initial community engagement in late 2019, community members felt that recent housing developments and clearing of native vegetation were not in keeping with the area. Hence, council has identified three key community priorities:

Protecting the environment and greenspaces.
Maintaining suburban neighbourhoods.
Servicing the area with infrastructure.

Photo credit: Brisbane City Council / brisbane.qld.gov.au

Vision

“Bridgeman Downs is a relaxed suburb combining city convenience with bushland beauty. Here, natural habitat and waterways are protected and embraced. Well-designed homes contribute to the local community and are connected to natural habitats. Convenient transport connections make getting to surrounding areas easy and active travel options inspire healthy living, clean air, outdoor recreation and smart travel choices.”

Some of the council proposed strategies include:

Preserve Bridgeman Downs’ natural habitat corridors
Maintain and enhance the waterway corridors and catchments in the area including Cabbage Tree Creek, Albany Creek and South Pine River
Grow our urban forest
Housing design and choice
Mitigate risks to people and property from natural hazards
Mitigate risks to people from nearby industry and powerlines
Protect and celebrate built history
Improve the area’s open space and parks network
Efficient stormwater network
Community facilities
Transport network
Orderly growth and transition

You can have your say on the draft strategy by 11:59 p.m. Monday 16 November 2020 by doing any of the following:

Visit Brisbane City Council website for more information.

Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grants Boost Aspley, North Brisbane Recovery

The economic climate has drastically changed due to the pandemic but businesses in North Brisbane, including Aspley, have gotten a much-needed boost from the Queensland Government through the Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grants.

Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman met with nearly 100 Aspley business owners at the Geebung Bowls Club on Wednesday, 19 Aug 2020, to discuss the help extended to small businesses.

So far,15,000 struggling companies were given over $885,000 in grants, including the management of the bowls club. Almost $200 million in grants have been set aside.

Geebung Bowls Chairman Richard Mason said that since the greens have been closed and unused for months during the lockdown, the club had to seek a $10,000 Small Business COVID-19 Adaption grant. The money helped pay for maintenance, electricity and water supply.

Mr Mason, however, said that he’s glad people are slowly returning to the club amidst the relaxation of restrictions.

“We are returning to pre-COVID trade levels and appreciate the support of some very loyal locals and government financial assistance,” the chairman said. “I would also like to thank Minister Fentiman and our Local Member Bart Mellish for their continued support and commitment to our club.”

Aside from the grants to businesses, a Unite and Recover for Queensland Jobs program has been set up to help the unemployed. North Brisbane residents may avail of the following support:

Free online TAFE courses
Free apprenticeships and traineeships for under 21s
Payroll tax relief
Energy rebates for households and small and medium sized businesses
25% procurement target for small and medium sized businesses – $4 billion of support each year.

“We know businesses across the state including here in the North Brisbane region have been doing it tough during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ms Fentiman said in a statement. “Because of the great job we’ve done on the health response to COVID-19, we can now focus on our economic plan for recovery.”

For enquiries about the grants, the job recovery program and other benefits, phone 1300 654 687 or visit Business Queensland.

Aspley State High School Upgrade To Bring 47 New Jobs

Two brand-new buildings will soon rise in Aspley State High School, delivering a new multi-purpose sports hall and a music centre. The project, costing $16 million, is also expected to bring in 47 new jobs for the locals.

On Thursday, 9 July 2020, Aspley MP Bart Mellish and Education Minister Grace Grace gamely turned the sod on the construction site.

Ms Grace said that Broad Construction has been given the contract to build the new centres and the company will provide jobs that will help with the state’s economic recovery, amid this coronavirus crisis.

“This has ensured a pipeline of work has continued to flow throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Education Minister said.

Mr Mellish, on the other hand, said that the music centre was overdue for a replacement after 35 years. The sports facility, on the other hand, will deliver opportunities for the students.

“The $12 million sports hall will feature two sports courts, two general learning areas, a gym, canteen, staff office, storage rooms and a kinesiology lab. It’s part of our $235 million Renewing Our Schools Program, one of 26 state schools benefitting from this funding,” Mr Mellish said. “Meanwhile, the $3.8 million music centre will include visual arts, music, drama and dance classrooms as well as practice rooms and a staff office. I can’t wait to watch these projects come to life.”

Aspley State High School’s new sports and music centres are expected to be completed by March 2021.

Carseldine Train Station Park n Ride to Get 170 Extra Carparks

Carseldine Train Station’s Park n Ride is set to see an additional 170 carparks soon as tenders are out for the whole month of July 2020.

Once the $15-million parking space upgrade is done, the Carseldine Station Park n Ride will almost double from 200 to 370.

This is welcome news for northside rail commuters who have been asking for additional parking spaces near the station. In a petition, Councillor Amanda Cooper stated that as a result of the insufficient parking spaces, commuters are using Beams Road and the surrounding streets (often illegally) to park their cars.

The park n ride project is the first stage of the Beams Road Rail Overpass, according to the announcement by Member for Aspley Bart Mellish. The Beams Road Rail Overpass will start construction as early as December 2021, following the 128-million commitment by the State Government.

The rail level crossing project is intended to reduce congestion and address safety concerns in the area.

The overpass will remove the level crossing which is deemed to be unsafe for many commuters. It also aims to improve travel times for rail and road users.

The project resulted from a consultation in early 2019, asking commuters using the rail level crossing what they want to be done to address the issues in the area. Thirty-one percent of respondents supported the call for a road-over-rail overpass, whilst 21 percent wanted the government to just fix the existing rail level crossing.

For more information about the Beams Road Rail Level Crossing project, visit the Department of Transport and Mains Roads website.

Approval Granted for Fitzgibbon Private Secondary School In North Brisbane

Approval has been granted for Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) to put up Fitzgibbon Private Secondary School (FPSS), the first Catholic secondary coeducational school in the area.

The 5.76-hectare land was the former site of the Big Easy Golf and Leisure Centre, with low-medium density residential zoning. Situated on the corner of 441 Beams Road and Carselgrove Avenue, the school’s primary access point will be along Carselgrove Avenue.

MID (Instead of Council) Planning Approval

In submitting their proposal for the school, rather than lodging a development application through Council, BCE applied for a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID). This goes directly to the Planning Minister.

John Phelan, BCE communications manager, clarified that a Ministerial Designation is sought, as is the case with FPSS, whenever they are deemed possible and the most efficient way to proceed.

BCE is a community of parish and diocesan Catholic schools operating 141 schools across the Archdiocese.

In an earlier statement, Brisbane City Planning Chair Matthew Bourke said that developments such as these should be assessed through the Council, where proposals are considered against their existing planning scheme and to ensure that proper consultation and engagement with the local community are undertaken.

Both BCE and the Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning (SDMIP) clarified, however, that BCE has not been remiss in such consultations.

A public consultation held in October and November 2019 resulted in 92 submissions. “As required, Brisbane Catholic Education undertook engagement with the Council and (the) local community before submitting a designation request for the Fitzgibbon Private Secondary College,” a spokesman for the SDMIP clarified.

Read: Expressions of Interest for New Catholic Secondary School on Beams Road, Fitzgibbon Now Being Accepted

A spokesman for the BCE also emphasised that existing issues raised by residents about the open level-crossing on Beams Rd and the lack of commuter parking at the Carseldine Train station, have been considered and ought to be adequately addressed as well.

Sneak Peek

Photo Credit : BCE / Rendering from the development plans

The overall proposal for the school includes buildings ranging from one to three storeys. Buildings closer to the north end where homes are situated will have a reduced height, whilst the taller buildings will be orientated towards the south end of the grounds.

The FPSS campus will include:

■ Three two-storey structures containing classrooms;

■ Two one to two-storey speciality buildings;

■ Two two-storey speciality buildings;

■ A large oval and tennis courts;

■ A three-storey physical education hall and music and performance centre;

■ A two to three-storey learning centre and cafe;

■ Staff parking, with manouevring and turnaround areas;

Stage One, to be completed prior to school opening, will include the classrooms, specialist rooms, administration spaces, a covered area for PE, and the school oval.

There will be multiple connection points to the existing Cabbage Tree Creek bikeway for access, along with connections to ingress/egress points for pedestrians, for better access to Carseldine train station and existing external bus stops.

Read: Aspley State Schools to Get Cooler and Greener

Plans also include the retention of rehabilitated wetlands located northeast of the site, and vegetated buffers to the north and the northwest corner adjoining houses.

Funding is entering the final stages of approval and construction is slated for early 2021. Construction will be in stages, towards a projected Term 1 opening for 2022.

Over 800 families have already expressed their interest in sending their children to the new secondary school. The school has a planned enrolment of about 900 students.