Bulimba Barracks takes another step towards creation of master planned community
Developers have begun work on transforming a huge swathe of inner-suburban riverfront land less than 5km from the CBD into Brisbane’s next master planned community.
An artist's impression of how the redeveloped Bulimba Barracks site. Image: BCC
Taiwan-backed Shayher Group has signalled its intention to begin demolition work on the 20-hectare Bulimba Barracks site, paving the way for a community of 855 homes and associated commercial development.
When fully-developed the community will boast public parkland with potentially more than 500 metres of river frontage as well as mostly two to three storey unit blocks. There is an overall five-storey height limit across the site.
The firm lodged an application with Brisbane City Council to carry out the work on Monday. It has yet to lodge a formal development application, which will paint a fuller picture of how the company envisages developing the Bulimba Barracks site.
Shayher is behind the Brisbane Quarter development at 300 George St, which includes the W Hotel. The final stage of that development, The One residential tower, is nearing completion.
Since it was first proposed and despite its prime location, Brisbane City Council has been at pains to ensure that the development of Bulimba Barracks development did not mirror the high rise apartment blocks on the other side of the river at Northshore Hamilton. A lack of good transport links in the area also worked against any plans for tall tower development.
The council endorsed a master plan for the site (pictured right) in 2017 which was then incorporated into the Bulimba Neighbourhood Plan. The federal government sold the Department of Defence land to the Shayher Group for $63 million early last year.
The master plan provides for detached, semi-detached and terrace housing as well as units, large expanses of open space, connectivity to the Brisbane River and also to celebrate the historical aspects of the barracks site.
Defence has kept some of the site for HMAS Moreton a base for Navy personnel, Reserves and Cadets.
The United States military built the Bulimba Barracks during World War II, located six warehouses and a large fabrication workshop on the site.
The workshop, used to construct barges during the war, was considered a significant landmark and is incorporated within the master plan as a possible location for a retail hub.
“The sale of Bulimba Barracks will unlock the potential of the site to deliver environmental, community amenity, heritage and housing supply outcomes,” Defence Industry minister Meilissa Price said at the time of the sale.
