Ballymore redevelopment approved

[RugbyReg]

A $100 million plan to redevelop Ballymore is set to be approved by the Brisbane City Council.

The proposal to rework Queensland Rugby Union’s sporting fields and stadiums was approved 3-1 by council’s planning committee Tuesday morning and now heads to the full council meeting.

Residents of the inner-northern suburb have been angered by plans to redevelop the state-owned site, concerned about traffic, safety and amenity issues. Support has come from the rugby network.

Local councillor David Hinchliffe tried to defer the application for a week for further community consultation and to check QRU’s legal status.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

“It’s bloody outrageous. This steamrolling of an unpopular application in a local area is arrogance at its worst,” Cr Hincliffe said.

The plan to expand the headquarters of the QRU has upset local residents.

Critics have claimed the QRU and friends were riding roughshod over local community objections.


Supporters said the proposal would contribute to the health of Queenslanders and about 400 construction jobs, plus a further 350 full-time jobs when complete.


It would also generate revenue for the QRU and a site which costs $2 million a year in maintenance and depreciation.


The plans for the Ballymore Sports Academy include an accommodation village and medical centre, a three-storey, 115-room motel, commercial offices and large licensed club.

Concerned residents have argued the changes would bring a sizeable increase in business activity in a residential suburb.


Some suggest it may also violate a 1966 Deed of Grant in Trust when the state government handed over land alongside Enoggera Creek for sport and recreation facilities.

Local families believe the 12ha Ballymore precinct belongs to the community, not the QRU.

QRU's first proposal was promised $25 million by former prime minister John Howard in 2007. The Rudd Government pulled that funding last year.


QRU submitted the latest planning application to council last September.

 

[scrubber]

about fuc---g time - My God the resurgence of QLD will only be enhanced further. More players will WANT to come and/or STAY in the "Land of the Gods" north of Tweed Heads

 

[Geeves]

So should we expect more "Back to Ballymore" t-shirts in the future?

If the sports academy goes ahead in the way it was originally proposed to in part provide the rugby academy then the resurgence of QLD rugby will lead to the Super 15 title heading to QLD more often than not. To have the dedicated resources of a national academy at your disposal not only feeding into the Super 15 side but the club scene as well is a fantastic opportunity.

Now all we need is a national comp to allow these players to really develop. Opps possum head shot that idea.

 

[scrubber]

So should we expect more "Back to Ballymore" t-shirts in the future?

If the sports academy goes ahead in the way it was originally proposed to in part provide the rugby academy then the resurgence of QLD rugby will lead to the Super 15 title heading to QLD more often than not. To have the dedicated resources of a national academy at your disposal not only feeding into the Super 15 side but the club scene as well is a fantastic opportunity.

Now all we need is a national comp to allow these players to really develop. Opps possum head shot that idea.

Geeves
AGREE AGREE AGREE - good post

 

[Lindommer]

Where's the money coming from?

 

[RugbyReg]

no money yet, I don't think. Who knows? With Ruddo struggling at the moment, he may try to win a few rugby supporters back?

 

[Biffo]

Where's the money coming from?

Selling the rights to boutiques, cafes, wine bars and restaurants within the complex.

 

[Lindommer]

Where's the money coming from?

Selling the rights to boutiques, cafes, wine bars and restaurants within the complex.

$100 million? At that price they might be able to afford to buy their wine from me.:

 

[Scotty]

Exactly Lindo. This is approved, but as far as I know, unfunded.

They might try and sell some shares in a unit trust or something to fund it? Not sure how that would work without some residential units in there as well though.

Residents of the area need to wake up. This will only add value to their houses, not detract from them. Any urban redevelopment such as this in your suburb could lead to house price jumps of up to 20%. Just see what happened in Nundah, and may soon happen in Alderley.

 

[Jets]

Best news I have heard in a long time.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

Residents of the area need to wake up. This will only add value to their houses, not detract from them. Any urban redevelopment such as this in your suburb could lead to house price jumps of up to 20%. Just see what happened in Nundah, and may soon happen in Alderley.

You'd hope they would, but the local residents are a pretty feral lot when it comes to Ballymore. They would have to build some major parking there to calm things down.

 

[scrubber]

Residents of the area need to wake up. This will only add value to their houses, not detract from them. Any urban redevelopment such as this in your suburb could lead to house price jumps of up to 20%. Just see what happened in Nundah, and may soon happen in Alderley.

You'd hope they would, but the local residents are a pretty feral lot when it comes to Ballymore. They would have to build some major parking there to calm things down.

half of them are now thong wearers students of different ethic backgrounds riding push bikes or catching the bus on concessions ha ha

 

[TOCC]

The QRU wont need $100million up front, this is going to be a staged development, the QRU will be reliant on a few government grants but expect a large sum of the money to be borrowed. The development will be staged in a way which will see the 'sports medicine centre' built as soon as possible as this will be one of the biggest money earners.

The QRU wont be expanding there staff numbers or there footprint into the new buildings, they new buildings will be purely staffed by new companies and organisations, however the aim is to have them follow a 'sports medicine' blue print.

We shouldnt look at this as a QRU development for rugby, it is a commercial development which will in turn be economically beneficial to rugby.

 

[chief]

I'm a bit lost here, so a lot of the buildings will actually be for businesses and restaurants?

But with accommodation for Rugby players, as well as medical centre and a swimming pool. This will definitely see the U/16's and Open schools rugby championships hosted every year. As well as schoolboy tests. Fingers crossed for the 2023 Rugby World Cup

 

[TOCC]

I'm a bit lost here, so a lot of the buildings will actually be for businesses and restaurants?

But with accommodation for Rugby players, as well as medical centre and a swimming pool. This will definitely see the U/16's and Open schools rugby championships hosted every year. As well as schoolboy tests. Fingers crossed for the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Think of it as the QRU been the landlord, such as in the Medical Centre there will be radioligists and physicians in there, but these will be independant centres who lease the space from the QRU.

The accomodation factor falls into a difference category, this is aimed purely at supporting rugby, however i imagine the costs to hire or rent the place for visiting teams and organisations wont exactly be cheap. The QRU will more then likely allign this centre with a foreign aid(AUSAID) program for regions like the pacific nations and pupua new guinea.

The swimming pool has actually been funded by the QLD Govt, i know the CMC has thrown a spanner into this situation in terms of funding, but expect to see it built, and expect to see it made available to the public for a generous fee.

 

[TOCC]

man, reading some of those comments from people on the courier mail website makes me cringe... some people just have no idea, they are lambasting the government for spending $100million on Ballymore...

they dont realise that the QRU will fund the project

 

[Pfitzy]

With Ruddo struggling at the moment, he may try to win a few rugby supporters back?

Yeah budget comes tonight doesn't it? He'll be scrambling to make back some yards at the polls.

 

[chief]

Rugby needs a boost, and this way Anna Bligh can honour one of her election promises by achieving new jobs. Although it won't create many but it will certainly help. I will remind Australia once again what Rugby can provide compared to the World Cup; tourists

-Many British and Irish Lions fans will head down under in 2013
-Over 50,000 people will come to Australia when we next host the RWC (2020-2030's)
-People will visit for major test matches, particurly NZ fans when Australia becomes more competitive.

QLD government should look at those things when creating this feature, and realise that this should just be the start of funding for rugby in QLD, which has been non existent.

Who funded the Gold Coast Titan's centre of excellence?

 

[Pfitzy]

Drug barons.

 

[Tangawizi]

This is the QRU's redevelopment webpage. http://www.qru.com.au/about_the_qru/ballymore/ballymore_redevelopment,65055.html

Looking at the picture, it appears getting bitten by green-ants on the Hill will no longer be an option as I think there's a grandstand hidden behind that Club Conference centre & gym.

This is good news and Hinchliffe's claims that the application has been rushed through are laughable to say the least.