Northshore Hamilton – Residential Development

Last year we took a look at the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games proposed venues, the largest of which will be the Athlete’s Village based at Northshore Hamilton. Moving away from the Athlete and staff accommodation, we thought we’d take a closer look at who’s responsible for overseeing the Northshore Hamilton development including its public space, what’s proposed for the residential development, and some of the criteria surrounding the project.

Northshore Hamilton – Who will oversee the residential development?

The state government, rather than the Brisbane City Council, has the authority to approve any new developments at Northshore Hamilton. This is because the area falls under the Northshore Hamilton Priority Development Area Scheme, which aims to ease housing pressure from the release of state-owned land.

Northshore Hamilton – How many residential dwellings?

It is anticipated that Northshore Hamilton will accommodate an extra 14,000 dwellings.

Who will construct the residential dwellings?

Residential housing units will be the primary focus of the dwellings, which will be constructed by private sector investment. The Queensland government’s Northshore Hamilton PDA Development Scheme sets out the guidelines that the private sector must follow to meet the requirements.

Will the development also cater for the public community?

The development covers 304 hectares and will cater for a mixed-use precinct comprising of retail, residential, entertainment, cultural and commercial uses.

The Queensland government states that the vision includes attraction to space, and community access that will extend along 2.5 kilometres of riverfront, including parklands to increase visitation.

Urban and sub-tropical design

According to the Northshore Hamilton PDA Development Scheme, within the urban and sub-tropical design there will be:

1. An attractive and functional relationship between buildings, private spaces and the public realm, in particular at street and podium levels, and across frontages to the Brisbane River
2. Design strategies that maximise natural light and airflow in the public realm and private spaces
3. Application of design strategies to reduce the extremes of temperature and direct solar heating in buildings, streets and public spaces
4. Orientation of buildings to optimise seasonal solar gains and loss
5. And the use of sub-tropical landscaping, vegetation and large trees to provide shade and shelter for pedestrians and cyclists

Northshore Hamilton – Building form

And for the building form component within the PDA:

1. Ensuring new development responds to the surrounding context, including existing, proposed and envisaged future built form, as well as site features, impacts on development and development constraints
2. The use of setbacks, design features and landscape to integrate with, complement and articulate streetscapes
3. Transition between areas of low, medium and high development intensity
4. Mitigation of individual and cumulative effects of taller builds, such as overshadowing, wind movement, access to sunlight and air circulation
5. And maximum building heights

(Image source: Queensland Government)

Will the development be sustainably built?

Subsequently, as mentioned in the PDA:

Sustainability at a site, project, building and community level to promote low or zero carbon emission outcomes in both the public and private realm, achieved through design, construction and operation phases of development through the following criteria:

1. A minimum 6-leaf EnviroDevelopment certification, or
2. A minimum 4-star Green Star: Design and as Built Certification, or
3. An equivalent rating under an alternative rating system

And integration of at least one of the following energy efficiency measures:

1. Solar energy generation technology
2. Wind energy generation technology
3. Integration of green roofs, green walls and other sustainable landscape elements
4. Integration of smart technology which passively controls the use of electricity

Northshore Hamilton – Can the public have their say on the development?

The community can have their say on the development by visiting the Queensland government Northshore website, which also contains a link to future updates and annual proposed works.

Video: Northshore Hamilton Vision

(Video Source: Brisbane Development)

After the Olympics

It’s envisaged that the main Athletes Village at Northshore Hamilton will be repurposed to address some of the housing crisis in Brisbane. After the Olympic Games, it’s anticipated to become residential living, including aged care, retirement living, social and affordable housing, key worker living, hotels, and build-to-rent accommodation. The Olympic bid outlined the proposed Development Scheme for the Olympic Village precinct to nominate at least 5 per cent of the Priority Development Area (PDA) to be devoted to public, social, and affordable housing.

(Sources: Brisbane Times 2023; Brisbane City Council 2023; Queensland Government 2022; Brisbane Development 2023)

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