The Queensland Government recently allocated funding to a long-awaited infrastructure project in the CBD. On the 7 August, the Queensland government offered $230,000 in funding to the Brisbane City Council to facilitate a business case for a new bridge across the Brisbane River from the northern side of the river, to Kangaroo Point.
The Alice Street Pedestrian Bridge has been a long-rumoured myth in Brisbane development circles, almost akin to the Loch Ness Monster. Having first been proposed in the 1800s, this pedestrian and cycling bridge aims to connect Eagle Street to the hub of Kangaroo Point at Alice Street. More commonly known as the Kangaroo Point Bridge, these plans have been shut down several times before, most recently in 2015 as there was no wiggle room for the $120 million development in the stringent Brisbane City Council budget.
Kangaroo Point Bridge proposed design by Richard Kirk Architect.
The Kangaroo Point Bridge would have a significant positive impact on the suburb of Kangaroo Point as a whole, and of course, the property sector. Making Kangaroo Point a more desirable suburb; improved access for commuters and connectivity to the city services will likely have a positive effect on property prices in the area.
The current design is quite aesthetically simple but very effective. The simplicity is likely to play out favourably in terms of the business case, as it’s simple design will be more efficient to construct.
The current development plan was commissioned back in 2013, as a part of Brisbane City Council’s New City Centre Master Plan. The bridge will be 395 metres long and four metres wide. Designed by Richard Kirk Architects, the bridge would create a link between the CBD and Kangaroo Point that would do much more than just improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.
Encouraging pedestrian flow from the CBD towards Kangaroo Point will provide a welcome boost to the boutique retail scene as well as the hospitality scene in the suburb with new cafes anticipated to flock to the suburb. Kangaroo Point is currently home to some of Brisbane’s most impressive residential projects. The last 12 months have seen the completion of Lume and The Duke developments, with nearly 250 new apartments added to the market between them. Next year, development in Kangaroo Point will ascend to a brand new level of luxury with the grand Banyan Tree Residence and a smaller, boutique development, The Holman. Both these developments are scheduled for completion in 2019, with several other proposals in the works for smaller developments in Kangaroo Point and surrounding suburbs too.
After the business case is completed it will become clearer whether the development of the Kangaroo Point Bridge will proceed in the near future and add immense value for the suburb, or whether it will be placed in the “too hard” basket once again.
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