Article: Lend Lease join RNA in Ekka site revamp

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Lend Lease join RNA in Ekka site revamp

Lend Lease join RNA in Ekka site revamp
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Michelle Hele

May 13, 2009 12:00am

THIS year's Ekka will be the end of an era with plans to start a $3 billion redevelopment of the site as soon as the August show wraps up.

The Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association has selected developer Lend Lease to help it deliver a reinvigorated showgrounds which will open up the 22ha site at Bowen Hills year round.

While final plans will now be worked on with Lend Lease, initial proposals are that it will house up to 10,000 residents in apartment buildings up to 22 storeys high along the St Paul?s Terrace section of the site.

Commercial offices will be built along O?Connell Terrace, and current exhibition facilities will be upgraded.

RNA chief executive Jonathan Tunny said the Brisbane Ekka was the last remaining Royal show on an inner city site.

He believes that far from being a deterrent things like the Ekka and the Truck Show which is currently on in the grounds will attract people wanting to live at the showgrounds.

[mufreight]

The redevelopment is good news as long as provision is made for Public Transport, the bus ways will be at capacity without the additional loading from the development which leaves rail and further justifies the construction of the underground cross river rail link between Fairfield/Dutton Park and the Exhibition line at Bowen Bridge Road but despite this being the "SMART STATE" it is doubtful that logic will prevail at this time.

[O_128]

No development should be allowed to go ahead without a transport plan in place similar to environmental impact plans

[Mozz]

I seem to recall there is a train station at this location but it doesn't appear that it will become an active station any time soon with the current thinking, maybe this will give an impetus to making the changes necessary to incorporate it as an active inner city station at all times rather than for a couple of weeks over the ekka period. Royal Brisbane Hospital a short walking distance away becomes a small city with 20,000+ people commuting there every day I understand.

[stephenk]

Given the number of peak hour trains that enter and leave Mayne via Exhibition, then I'm sure that some sort of train service could be provided between Roma Street and Exhibition if the traffic can be justified (remembering that the Busway to RBWH is nearing completion). However, I'm not sure how easy it would be to run a regular off-peak service between Roma Street and Exhibition unless there is either a bias of services from the North, or North/South services are split (e.g. Ferny Grove- Beenleigh became Ferny Grove-Exhibition and Bowen Hills-Beenleigh.

Whilst on this subject, as the Ekka showgrounds are only a 5mins walk from Bowen Hills anyway, only the lazy travel to Exhibition station during the Ekka.

[O_128]

Most Roma street services could just carry passengers to exhibition and terminate there

[ButFli]

There are very few Roma Street services outside of the morning peak.