Australia’s peak property body has urged Brisbane residents to get behind the exciting Howard Smith Wharves development and participate fully in ongoing public consultation.
The Property Council of Australia said today that the development would contribute strongly to Brisbane’s growing reputation as a sophisticated and vibrant city, and to its economic prosperity during a time of economic crisis.
The Property Council’s Steve Greenwood said while public consultation continued to shape the style of development that would take place on the riverfront site, a likely mix of cafes, art galleries, restaurants, tour boat berths, a boutique hotel and even a rock climbing facility would ensure a new city hub in a unique location.
Mr Greenwood said: “This is a magnificent and distinctive site, with a view of a bend in the Brisbane River that until now has been the almost exclusive preserve of nearby high-rise residents.”
“Opening up this site to public use is the right decision, at the right time given current economic woes.
“Public consultation has been extensive over the past two and a half years, however the fact that it is continuing is a sign of a Brisbane City Council intent on ending up with a development that truly reflects the views of the local community.
“For that Lord Mayor Campbell Newman and his team deserve every congratulation,” Mr Greenwood said.
Mr Greenwood said it was important that governments at all levels and of all political persuasions pushed ahead with new infrastructure at a time when unemployment was projected to rise and industries, including the property industry, began to struggle.
“This development will provide an important stimulus to the local economy, provide employment for local residents and bolster the property industry at a time when other planned developments are put on the backburner,” Mr Greenwood said.
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