The former ANZ Bank at Brighton Road in Sandgate, which has sat vacant since the February 2022 flood, may soon be demolished.
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This comes after the owner has been granted an application to demolish the building. Brisbane City Council confirmed that the demolition certificate, which was awarded by a private building certifier, was issued on 25 August 2021.
As a result, the proposed heritage listing will not be progressed for the building. The old bank, located at 43 Brighton Road, will not be included in the proposed heritage overlay.
Whilst the demolition certificate has been given since August 2021, some neighbours complained they only knew about the impending demolition after learning about the recently updated Sandgate District Neighbourhood Plan.
The draft plan includes rezoning the area to six storeys and updating the character and heritage maps.
The neighbourhood plan has received hundreds of submissions from residents who are mostly concerned about the proposed maximum building height and keeping the heritage and character of Sandgate.
Other buildings in the area, such as the I.B. Best building and Russell’s Drapery which was established during the 1900s, both have heritage listings.
However, some residents are concerned that some buildings, including the former ANZ Bank, did not have heritage or character protection, despite its unique features and it being one of the last examples of a purpose-built bank building across Brisbane.
Labor Opposition Leader Jared Cassidy was one of those who felt sorry that a demolition application had been approved for the building. He said it was once identified for consideration for heritage protection under the previous Sandgate Neighbourhood Plan.
About the ANZ Bank in Sandgate
Located on the corner of Brighton Rd and Third Avenue in Sandgate, the building was established in 1969 for ANZ Bank. The architects were the architectural firm Cullen, Fagg, Hargraves & Cullen.
The building was sold several times but it was reportedly vacated by ANZ Bank around 2019, leaving the ATM behind. It was occupied by Infinity Martial Arts from 2019 but the business relocated to Rainbow Street following the 2022 flood.
