Minister for Public Works and Housing, Robert Schwarten, says marketing is expected to start next month of the first sites for sale in the proposed Kelvin Grove Urban Village.Mr Schwarten today gave State Parliament a progress report on recent and planned developments in relation to the Urban Village project being developed by the Department of Housing in partnership with Queensland University of Technology.
"The aim is to create a mixed-use development on the former Gona Barracks site and surrounding land — covering around 17 hectares in total," Mr Schwarten said.
"It will be a world-class example of inner-urban development, incorporating affordable housing, educational facilities and commercial outlets. It is another example of the Smart State strategy at work.
"The Urban Village also forms part of the government's City West Strategy and will inject new life, new opportunities and new jobs into an area on the doorstep of the CBD.
"The master plan for the Village was approved by State Cabinet in June last year. I am pleased to advise that the project received the National Award for Planning Achievement from the Royal Australian Planning Institute in April this year.
"Brisbane City Council approved the material change of use for the site in March. The appeals period finished earlier this month with no appeals lodged. Remediation work was completed in late April.
"The contractor for the first stage of infrastructure works — such as roads and drainage systems — was appointed at the beginning of the month and preparatory works are under way.
"Development within the project is being overseen by a project control group made up of representatives from the Department of Housing and QUT.
"The Department of Housing will be marketing the retail, commercial and residential sites while QUT will be responsible for development of their university-related facilities.
"A marketing campaign is expected to be started in late June. The release for sale of the first site in the Village centre is expected in the third quarter of this year. Further sites will be released in a staged process.
"The first construction on the site is expected to start late next month as part of QUT's planned expansion on its land."
Mr Schwarten said the decision two years ago to purchase the former Gona Barracks site was the catalyst for development of the Kelvin Grove Urban Village.
"Like Roma Street Parkland, it has provided an opportunity to return to the people of the state a vast tract of inner-city land that has previously been off limits," he said.
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