Rockhampton revitalisation to breathe new life into city centre
Published on 30 January 2017
Rockhampton is set to reap the benefits from a $14 million inner city apartment building with commercial and retail spaces to attract people and investment back to the CBD.
In releasing the concept drawings, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the joint venture between her government and Rockhampton Regional Council will transform a William Street carpark into a vibrant cultural and business hub.
“A vibrant precinct will come alive on this underutilised piece of land and it will be a new focal point for the residents of Rockhampton and visitors to the city,” the Premier said.
“The community is embracing inner-city projects like the popular laneway markets and our joint venture will complement those projects and create the opportunity for residents, to live, work and play right here in the CBD.”
Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Jackie Trad congratulated the Rockhampton Regional Council on its commitment to unlocking the potential of the heart of the city.
“Rockhampton is taking a creative approach to boosting activity and building growth in the city through its new CBD redevelopment framework," Ms Trad said.
“This development complements the council’s framework and will boost regional employment by supporting more than 40 jobs during construction and creating dozens of ongoing jobs.”
Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow said the council had been working closely with the state government on the revitalisation of William Street and the new concept designs revealed buildings with flexible spaces that can change to residential, retail, office or other creative uses.
“This land was crying out for redevelopment. This plan will breathe new life into the CBD and draw in more people to experience life in the inner city. It will perfectly complement our current revitalisation of the riverbank and Quay Street,” she said.
Minister for Rural Economic Development and Member for Rockhampton Bill Byrne said he was keen to hear the community’s views on the new project.
“This is a great coup for Rockhampton. We are one of the first cities in regional Queensland to benefit from such a project.
“This precinct will create countless jobs and drive investors back to our city centre. I look forward to the community having their say on the initial concept designs.”
The joint venture will transform a William Street carpark into a vibrant precinct with an eight-storey, 47-unit development, designed to complement the nearby Schotia Place building, heritage areas and market lanes.
Modern sustainable design concepts include rooftop solar panels and green wall streetscaping.
The community would be consulted as the project went through the design phases and works on the revitalisation of the CBD are expected to begin towards the end of this year.
The project is funded through the Advancing our Cities and Regions Strategy which aims to deliver community outcomes, create jobs and drive economic growth through the re-use of underutilised and surplus land.
For more information: https://www.dilgp.qld.gov.au/infrastructure/advancing-our-cities-and-regions-strategy.html
Media Release contributed from Queensland Government