Brisbane City Council has announced Sandgate is the next location for a Suburban Renewal Precinct Plan.
The program aims to transform under-utilised land into well-planned, mixed-use centres, and for Sandgate, the plan will cover parts of Brighton Road and Rainbow Street.
Speaking to the Sandgate Guide, Deagon Ward Councillor, Jared Cassidy, said a precinct plan differed from the existing neighbourhood plan in a couple of ways.
“Essentially, there are tighter boundaries for a precinct plan and the process itself is quicker,” he said.
“The first one was at Stones Corner, and that was completed in 12 months.”
Cr Cassidy said the precinct plan would first go to the State Government for approval, before a period of public consultation.
“I won’t know all the details until the draft plan is finalised,” he said.
“My position is that this precinct plan is going to happen, and it’s important that we have conversations with the Lord Mayor.
“This is about how we can get the best deal for Sandgate, and people need to be active participants in these conversations.
“What kind of development would we like to see here, what kind of infrastructure upgrades will come with this.
“We need to be asking, can we connect the town centre to the foreshore more, will we be updating public spaces like parks and garden beds.
“I’d like to hear from people what they currently think is missing from our community and how we can increase the liveability of this area.”
Precinct plans in other suburbs have looked at building heights, car parking spaces, and housing density. In Stones Corner, the building height allowance was raised to 20 storeys, and in Wynnum, it went up to five.
“Anything taller than five or six storeys in Sandgate causes issues due to the water table,” Cr Cassidy said.
“You dig too deep in Sandgate and you’re just in the water.”
He added the process was going to be about “people power”.
“Wynnum had their public consultation time extended, and they had public meetings, where senior council officers went there and listened to the community,” Cr Cassidy said.
“At those public meetings in Wynnum there were plenty of young people there, raising issues about housing availability and affordability.”
People Power: Community Consultation and the Future of the Bayside
He added he was aware some Sandgate residents did not want to see any changes and acknowledged the previous neighbourhood plan was “polarising”.
“Housing availability and affordability is crucial,” Cr Cassidy said. “If we can extract some compromise from the Lord Mayor, we can get a positive outcome here.
“The money that could come from developers could help us get the infrastructure that we need in Sandgate and get it right. Certainly, drainage is something that needs to be looked at.
“The Lord Mayor has also raised the revitalisation of Einbunpin Lagoon in council.”
In a written statement, Brisbane Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner, said it made sense for Sandgate to be the site of the city’s next precinct plan.
“Sandgate already has a train station, thriving local businesses and a renowned foreshore, which makes it a smart location for sensible suburban renewal,” he said.
“More homes in the right places will protect our city’s character and ensure Brisbane remains Australia’s lifestyle capital.”
Council’s city planning chairman, Cr Adam Allan, said the plan was about encouraging more homes close to shops, cafes, and public transport.
“By focusing growth on well-serviced centres like Sandgate, we can support local jobs and reduce pressure on surrounding suburbs,” he said.
“We’ll work with the community to strike the right balance and protect Sandgate’s bayside character and outdoor lifestyle.”
Cr Cassidy said he would be “informed by the community.”
“Once the public consultation is announced, I will be holding a public meeting, and the consultation time will be four weeks,” he said.
“I encourage everyone in Sandgate to be involved in this process.”
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