Five station sites, five times the transformation.
Cross River Rail is Brisbane’s new underground. Construction is underway and it will deliver four new high-capacity stations through the city and a new year-round Exhibition station to serve the iconic RNA showgrounds.
But Cross River Rail is more than just a rail project. It’s also a once-in-a-generation catalyst for up to $20bn of economic development, helping to transform forever more one of the world’s fastest growing and most liveable cities.
Our Precinct Delivery Strategy is set out below and we’re seeking input from the finance, planning, development and wider property sector, as well as the wider public, to innovate and envision world class placemaking at each new city station precinct.
The Precinct Delivery Strategy is a blueprint to help shape future development in and around the five new station precincts.
The Queensland Government’s investment in the Cross River Rail project will unlock an unprecedented opportunity for economic development in Brisbane.
Beyond our investment in new underground train stations and tunnels, we expect to leverage up to $20 billion in new city-changing investment.
This Strategy is a blueprint to help shape future development in and around the five new station precincts.
It will help connect people, communities and businesses providing urban renewal opportunities that unlock new economic growth through private sector investments that strengthen our economy and create jobs.
These benefits will be directly felt by Queenslanders right across the State.
A strong inner core of Brisbane which is home to significant assets like the Gabba Stadium, key hospital facilities and world-class learning institutions, will drive new investments that generate jobs now and for decades to come.
This Strategy is an important first step towards delivering these game-changing outcomes for Queensland.
You can read more in our Cross River Rail Precinct Delivery Strategy.
Cross River Rail will connect people across South East Queensland (SEQ) to the places where they live, learn, work and play. The project will also be a key catalyst for ongoing urban renewal within and around its station precincts. This strategy sets a vision for each precinct that is aligned to the Queensland Government’s policy priorities and seeks to enhance Queensland’s global competitiveness, liveability and destination appeal.
This document articulates the strategic aspirations for the Cross River Rail (CRR) precincts by:
The Cross River Rail Delivery Authority (the Delivery Authority) has responsibility for five key Cross River Rail precincts – Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street, Roma Street and Exhibition – and is considering the approach to delivering and realising the envisaged precinct benefits.
The Delivery Authority has undertaken extensive stakeholder engagement and leveraged global best practices to formulate the precinct visions. These will guide the delivery of the precincts and realise Government’s ambitions to create new neighbourhoods, that are ready to connect, create and advance the region globally for generations
Comprehensive stakeholder engagement and global research suggests that an aspirational approach to precinct planning results in improved economic and social outcomes that deliver ongoing benefits.
The Delivery Authority has leveraged insights from exemplar global precincts that have successfully delivered enduring economic and social benefits. Broad consultation across the Queensland Government and with Brisbane City Council has been undertaken to ensure precinct planning aligns to the city context and government policy priorities.
A review into global case studies of urban precincts was undertaken by the Delivery Authority and Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC), with the support of Boston Consulting Group (BCG). This work examined over 60 urban renewal precincts, across over 50 cities and regions globally, to understand global best practice in creating great precincts and their role in shaping cities (City Shaping Levers).
Four City Shaping Levers have been identified as critical to the creation of modern and vibrant cities (Anchors, Connectivity, Agglomeration and Activation). Brisbane has a number of these City Shaping Levers in place, but Cross River Rail and the Cross River Rail precincts have the potential to drive greater economic and liveability returns for the State when these levers are incorporated into the planning of precincts.
The Delivery Authority, in conjunction with the Brisbane City Council (BCC), developed a Local Renewal Area Framework that has informed the vision for the urban context around each of the Cross River Rail precincts and provided three Themes and five Enablers that have informed precinct planning.
These findings and frameworks, in addition to Government policy objectives and priorities for each precinct, have been used to define the vision and strategy for each of the Cross River Rail precincts.
The Delivery Authority, in conjunction with QTC and BCG, have completed an analysis of over 60 urban renewal precincts, across 50 cities and regions globally, focusing on examples that align closest with Brisbane.
The work emphasised that the value of projects similar to Cross River Rail are typically locked in upfront and that the need for a clear vision is imperative so that value can be created throughout the precinct’s development journey.
Key lessons learnt from global best practice emphasises the need for a clear vision, early collaboration and robust governance…
The Cross River Rail station precincts have the ability to support broader positive economic and social outcomes in the community. The Local Renewal Area Framework’s three themes, supported by five core enablers which, along with Government policy priorities, has informed the Cross River Rail precinct visions.
Precinct visions have been guided by Advancing Queensland’s Priorities and other relevant Queensland and local Government policies and frameworks including Transforming South East Queensland and the Brisbane Economic Development Plan. Each precinct will contribute to a number of Government priorities to deliver specific initiatives to create high value jobs and attract investment.
The Precincts Delivery Strategy will create world-class places through jobs and education, health, housing, culture, community and lifestyle. The successful implementation of this strategy will see the delivery of great places which provide great precincts, making a great region which in return, ensure great State outcomes.
Supporting South East Queensland to CONNECT, CREATE and ADVANCE for future generations requires precinct plans that are aligned with core policy priorities of Government. Precinct strategies that are based on supporting these objectives now, will enable greater economic and liveability returns to be achieved in the future.
The Cross River Rail Precincts Delivery Strategy seeks to align with Government policy on multiple levels to contribute to place, precincts, regions and the State.
In achieving this, the Delivery Authority has given specific regard to the following policy outcomes being sought by the State.
Improving the liveability of Brisbane with benefits for all of South East Queensland by leveraging the City Shaping Levers.
The investment in Cross River Rail delivers transport infrastructure that will activate Brisbane by delivering on the City Shaping Levers.
The Delivery Authority has undertaken extensive stakeholder engagement across Government agencies and with BCC to develop and test precinct development approaches to ensure precinct strategies are aligned with objectives and aspirations of Government and BCC.This engagement is being used to inform the unique precinct visions to optimise enduring community and economic outcomes and leverage existing local amenity. The Delivery Authority’s approach will create a sense of identity and differentiate the individual precincts whilst ensuring connectedness, resulting in the creation of world-class places for Queensland with connections to jobs and education, housing, community and lifestyle, tourism, culture and sports.
The new Boggo Road Station is at the centre of one of Queensland’s most significant knowledge and technology precincts. The wider precinct reputation is reflected by the prominence of globally recognised health, science and education institutions within the Translational Research Institute and Ecosciences Precinct. However, potential remains to continue to develop the area as an integrated, accessible, liveable and vibrant location which makes a significant contribution to the State, by continuing to attract and retain the best talent.
To ensure the growth and accessibility of the wider renewal area to Brisbane’s inner city and knowledge corridor, the Boggo Road Cross River Rail precinct will focus on:
The Precinct provides direct opportunities to enhance the already established world-class health and technology precinct with a focus on health, science and education. This will reinforce the precinct’s role as a regional economic cluster, facilitating high skilled employment with supporting services and amenity, making it an inner-city destination for working, living and education.
New public realm will provide improved connectivity between rail, bus, and major institutional facilities within the precinct. A focal point to the area will be the linkage of the knowledge corridor, connecting the University of Queensland (UQ) to established major institutions including the Ecosciences Precinct, the Translational Research Institute, the Princess Alexandra (PA) Hospital and the Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence.
The following outcomes, aligned to the local framework, are sought for the wider renewal area:
You can learn more at the Boggo Road station precinct page.
Having already seen significant change in the past decade, Woolloongabba is on an upward trajectory towards a modern urban neighbourhood characterised by its sport and entertainment offering. The new Cross River Rail station at Woolloongabba will be a catalyst for further renewal across a wider local area encompassing major hospitals and education facilities, with strong links back towards the CBD via the vibrant South Bank precinct.
Within the Cross River Rail Woolloongabba Precinct, the opportunities for the Delivery Authority will be:
The Cross River Rail Woolloongabba Precinct provides direct opportunities for significant private investment, in addition to Government investment, to develop residential, commercial, recreational and health-focused facilities to create a destination where the built form supports people, jobs and businesses, with ease of accessibility to worldclass public transport.
New public realm will enhance local amenity and support an outdoor, community-oriented lifestyle. As part of the public realm, a net increase in green space will be provided.
The mix of uses will be well aligned with the investment in infrastructure in the locality. Development will improve the visitor experience during events at the Gabba stadium and provide for easy community access to the Woolloongabba Cross River Rail and busway stations. Access to the area by public transport, walking and cycling will be prioritised over private vehicles.
The following outcomes, aligned to the local framework, are sought for the wider renewal area:
You can learn more at the Woolloongabba station precinct page.
The new Albert Street Station sits at the epicentre of the rapidly changing Brisbane CBD. The CBD is already established as an area where work, leisure and living co-exist; and this is only set to increase with the completion of the Queen’s Wharf Precinct. The commuter, resident and visitor experience has the opportunity to dramatically improve with the creation of an efficient public transportation connection between the city centre and neighbouring knowledge and lifestyle hubs.
To strengthen the day and night-time economy, the Albert Street precinct focus will be on:
The Cross River Rail Albert Street precinct comprises two significant CBD sites, which sit directly adjacent to the Cross River Rail station. These sites provide an opportunity for significant improvements in public realm through the delivery of the City Plan Green Spine vision, in addition to a potential commercial development opportunity.
Any development in the Albert Street precinct should deliver high-quality built-form and public realm that contributes to a sense of arrival and creates a new landmark destination within the city centre. This opportunity enables increased commuter and pedestrian activity which will strengthen the day and night-time economy, putting the southern city centre on the map as a destination.
The following outcomes, aligned to the local framework, are sought for the wider renewal area:
You can learn more at the Albert Street station precinct page.
Roma Street Station is the western gateway to the city centre, combining regional transportation with an expanded commercial, retail and leisure offering. The precinct boasts outstanding connectivity, a vibrant public realm and proximity to a range of entertainment and recreational activities.
While the precinct benefits from its proximity to a range of destinations, there is still significant potential for growth in lifestyle and knowledge industries including greater professional office space, stronger physical links east to the CBD and west to Caxton Street and the Suncorp Stadium, in addition to an enhanced range of day and night time facilities serving a growing number of visitors, workers and residents in the precinct.
To facilitate the realisation of this potential, the Roma Street precinct focus will be on:
Roma Street precinct, located at one of Brisbane’s most significant city centre arrival points, has the opportunity to become a key economic and community hub through major redevelopment, reinvigorating heritage places, new public spaces and developing strong connections to nearby major parklands and facilities.
The following outcomes, aligned to the local framework, are sought for the wider renewal area:
You can learn more at the Roma Street station precinct page.
The precinct is a key gateway between the inner city and Brisbane’s northern suburbs, and includes one of the state’s most successful knowledge and technology clusters, which includes the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, the future Herston Quarter, and various other significant health-related institutions.
With the presence of key anchors, the precinct has a high level of maturity as a knowledge and technology precinct. Further opportunities for expansion of allied health, biomedical industries and education and research, will elevate the economic performance of the precinct.
To accelerate the precinct’s urban renewal as a sophisticated cosmopolitan neighbourhood, the Exhibition precinct will focus on:
The Exhibition precinct is a vibrant urban area which, has preserved its heritage places and accommodates a diverse, integrated and balanced range of uses that are connected by a high-quality public realm.
The Cross River Rail Exhibition precinct is limited in its scale due to available State-owned land. Its primary opportunity aside from immediate station construction and committed transport connections is to facilitate, in conjunction with Government, the adaptive reuse and reinvigoration of the heritage Old Museum building.
The following outcomes, aligned to the local framework, are sought for the wider renewal area:
You can learn more at the Exhibition station precinct page.
The Guiding Principles reflect the Delivery Authority’s areas of strategic focus to delivering great precincts that provide a positive long-term contribution to South East Queensland. The Guiding Principles will inform the approach in progressing the vision to the planning and delivery strategy for each of the precincts.
These Guiding Principles are complemented by Commercial Principles that will inform the implementation strategy for the Precincts. These Commercial Principles will seek to optimise value for money for Government whilst utilising innovative delivery and funding models to deliver commercial and community infrastructure within each precinct.
Areas of strategic focus in planning and delivering the Cross River Rail Precincts
A summary of the guiding principles that underpin the Delivery Authority’s approach to precincts comprise:
Ensuring value for money and optimal delivery outcomes are achieved.
The following statements will drive the commercial approach to development and delivery of the Cross River Rail precincts, to ensure that value for money outcomes are achieved:
Seek an appropriate mix of public and private sector funding and financing that consider the delivery method, control and risk appetite.
Investments in precinct development and infrastructure shall take into account whole of life costs and benefits.
Government investment in State infrastructure will be subject to detailed decision making processes that match the delivery outcomes.
Undertake a detailed assessment of benefits and beneficiaries for specific projects, to ensure an equitable apportionment of risk and return.
Relevant line agencies will fund or participate in strategies to provide development infrastructure associated with their own projects.
Investment in site enabling development infrastructure shall be the responsibility of project proponents.
Financial returns will be reinvested to facilitate further economic development within the Cross River Rail precincts.
A strategic view will be taken when considering funding and financing options for each precinct outcome.
Interested parties that would like to hear more about formal industry engagement or market sounding in relation to the Precinct Delivery Strategy can register their interest below and we will provide an update once details are released.
If you would like to contact us in relation to this, send an email to [email protected].