Article: Facelift plan for Fortitude Valley

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Facelift plan for Fortitude Valley

Facelift plan for Fortitude Valley
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Bruce McMahon

April 02, 2009 12:00am

FORTITUDE Valley could be home to 22,000 more people, 75,000 more jobs and 30-storey buildings over the next 10 years under new plans for inner-city suburb.

The result, council planners say, will be a renewed and creative area that retains its true grit.

Brisbane City Council's draft neighbourhood plan divides the area into six precincts with buildings up to 30 storeys allowed in the Valley Heart and up to 20 storeys in the Valley Gateway at the Newstead end.

The area around the Valley rail station could support higher densities and taller buildings. But the plan would "protect and enhance Fortitude Valley's special heritage and character" with the retention and reuse of heritage places and character buildings.

BCC Neighbourhood Planning chair Councillor Amanda Cooper yesterday said balance was needed to accommodate growth while keeping a diverse and vibrant community.

"Job growth is critical. The Valley has a night economy but this would create a day economy as well, making it a more multifunctional area," she said.

Local residents, passionate about the area, had contributed much to the draft proposals.

Development would strengthen the role of the Valley Heart as a major entertainment, cultural, tourist accommodation, retail and business centre.

The plan would also "reinforce the varied and diverse architecture and urban form" that distinguishes the Valley from Brisbane's CBD. New developments would have to reflect the palette and character of the existing fabric "with a rougher and grittier aspect to the architecture" than in the CBD.

The existing entertainment precinct around Brunswick St will be maintained. Both new residential developments and new entertainment venues would have to satisfy noise-reducing requirements while residents in these areas would have to expect higher ambient noise levels.

Wide footpaths and more trees are intended for Ann and Wickham streets at the northern end while cafes and restaurants would be encouraged in the streets in between.

The James St precinct would remain a transitional area between the retail, business and entertainment areas and New Farm's residential area while the Gotha St precinct between the Valley and the City would have smaller-scaled buildings to protect the sense of space and the visual impacts of Villa Maria and All Hallows School.

Local councillor David Hinchliffe agreed it was a challenge to find a plan that worked for everyone.

[ButFli]

Special heritage and character? The place is a wretched hive of scum and villainy! Bulldoze the lot and start again.

Nah, just kidding. FV is great. I just hope they don't put too much effort into preserving the "special heritage" of the dollar peeps and associated scum. Ann St north of Brunswick St is great and should be left untouched IMO.

Another great idea would be to run trams all the way down Brunswick St to New Farm Park, just like the old days. If there was ever a street in Brisbane that was made for trams, Brunswick St is it.

[SteelPan]

ButFli, I hear you loud and clear - everytime I visit the Valley, I feel like taking a bath in disinfectant.  Of course, it once was a great thriving hub of commerce and industry, but the big regional shopping centres killed it - it will not be saved by retaining suspect old buildings.  People want clean and mostly modern to live among and you can also remove the street-people, drugs, drunks etc.  I support the theory of what they want to do, but really these things are little more than a media opportunity for some Council Board.  Getting on with the job will mean finding govt and private sector finance.  To be fair, Brisbane's growth has probably reached the point, were the Valley is back on the radar as a true extension of the CBD.  Light Rail and possibly longer-term an underground rail travelling via Valley/New Farm/Newstead could be an option - but then this is "Brissy", so we'll probably get another 3/4 "Valley" buses a day and told it's "world class".  Now, where's the disinfectant....

[ButFli]

There are only some areas that need to be bulldozed. Mainly the part outside the train station there on Brunswick St and a bit of stuff on Wickham St.

[brismike]

The part of the Valley next to the railway lines between FV Station and Central Station is an eyesore. This would be behind the buildings on Wickham Street I would think. This area needs to be bulldozed badly. 

[Markus]

Yes I also find "the valley" disgusting, but it consoles me to believe the solution is simply cosmetic.
A lick of paint, some short term incentives for cheap rent for tenants and away you go.

Personally, I'd rather see the CBD expend towards the Valley than flood into Kurilpa/ WestEnd.
Why bulldoze a lovely part of BNE, when another area is asking for the attention.