Northbank (Brisbane)

North Bank was a proposed commercial development in the Brisbane River in the centre of Brisbane. The site to be built on starts from William Jolly Bridge and stretches to Goodwill Bridge at Gardens Point.[1]

Details

The proposed Multiplex design for North Bank (opposite Southbank) contained 8 skyscrapers for office space and residential use, with the highest building being 46 stories. It also contained a pedestrian bridge, 'open spaces', riverfront promenade and an olympic-sized public swimming pool. The proposal entailed the government allowing Multiplex to build out as far as 70 metres into the Brisbane River.

There is minimal support outside of government and Multiplex offices for this development, and opposition has come from the public as well as Queensland's peak body of town planners, a major group of architects, and an award-winning Queensland University lecturer . Despite its initial approval by the Bligh Labor government there is currently much debate regarding the value of the project, given the extensive ecological, visual, physical and infrastructure consequence involved in building so far out over the river.

Another planned project that will relate to the proposed North Bank is the Proposed Inner CBD Rail Capacity program.

There is currently much opposition to the proposal, with most parties concerned about the architectural, historical and ecological legacy of the development. The Brisbane City Council and the Queensland State Government are not the developers of the site, but are vested interested parties as North Bank is a private developer's proposal. There is increasingly vocal opposition to the project, due to increase in general awareness of the scheme. There was a very limited and under-publicised public consultation period undertaken after the project was first announced.

The National Trust Queensland has condemned the proposal as an inappropriate use of an historic precinct. Federal Environment Minister Peter Garret has also spoken out against the project.

The Sunday Mail on 20 October 2010 reported that commercial elements of the North Bank Development had been scrapped and a much simpler project will go forward that improves public access for pedestrians and cyclists under the existing riverside expressway.

Since then not much was heard until after the Queensland State Election when a new LNP government was elected

On 30 May 2012, the new Queensland Premier Campbell Newman announced plans for a slightly down sized Northbank with some government offices and a boardwalk.

See also

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Coordinates: 27°28′20.4″S 153°01′20.84″E / 27.472333°S 153.0224556°E