Construction on the first stages of the new Springfield Town Centre North precinct is expected to begin soon, delivering more residential living, public parklands, and eventually hotel accommodation for the fast-growing region.
Stage 1A of the hospitality hub is located on the corner of Eden Station Drive and Brookwater Drive, just north of the new Brisbane Lions AFL stadium, Brighton Homes Arena.
It includes four apartment buildings, totalling just over 500 units, and a clubhouse and real estate sales display office, with over 600 car park spaces for residents, workers, and visitors, as well as the first of many planned indoor and outdoor recreational facilities and amenities.
Jordan MP Charis Mullen said the influx of visitors to – and new employees of – local events and facilities such as AFL matches at the new Lions stadium will mean an increasing need for somewhere to stay and live.
It has long been part of the master plan for Greater Springfield, with its 10-acre allotment still vacant after several years of delay exacerbated by the pandemic.
Brisbane-based developer Cardno – recently acquired by Canadian conglomerate Stantec – has partnered with building and landscape architects Cottee Parker and Urbis, respectively, according to documents publicly available on the new ‘Development.i’ web portal.
Architecturally, the buildings will create tall physical “gateways” that gradually scale down to transition to the human-scale of the internal parklands, according to the documents.
In October 2020, Ipswich City Council gave final approval to the development, following which Springfield City Group announced it was searching for an investment partner.
The latest plans must be “underpinned by hospitality”, according to JLL real estate agent Tom Gleeson, with space for a community club, marketplace, and either a microbrewery or restaurant.
Mr Gleeson was quoted in the Queensland Times on February 21 last year as saying the structures were “really flexible”, and that ultimately it depended on what was built and how much exposure each lessee wanted.
Subsequent stages of Springfield Town Centre North (also known as “City North”) call for shopping destinations, children’s amenities, and “distinctive and accessible public areas”, as referenced on the Urbis website.
It will also be home to several new entertainment venues to open by 2026, according to the Springfield City Group’s “Greater Springfield Vision – The Next 5 Years” plan.
It remains unclear how long the development of Stage 1A will take and when applications for further stages will be finalised.
