The liveable, walkable village – Yeerongpilly Green

Our $850 million Yeerongpilly Green urban development just 5.5 kilometres from the city’s central business district and on a train line, is an example of what government and a private enterprise like ourselves can do when they indulge in a rather uncommon practice – urban planning.

The 14-hectare site runs along the Brisbane River between the Queensland Tennis Centre and Yeerongpilly Railway station and will eventually have 1200 apartments and townhouses. By the time it is finished in 2024 it will include a retail and commercial precinct with boutique coffee shops, bars and restaurants, a supermarket, a 100-bedhotel and office buildings.

Our managing director for residential, Lachlan Grantley says urban greenery is not only visually important to the project but also serves key practical purposes.

Vegetation has climatic benefits through shading, reduced reflection of hard surfaces – the heat island effect – and on a windy day provides the benefit of wind protection.

From visual perspective it’s beneficial to break down the hard surfaces generally associated with urban environments, provide natural barriers to different land uses and enhance for privacy.

One of the amenities that will set Yeerongpilly Green apart from other urban development is the quantity and quality of the parks, green space and community amenities.

Central to the masterplan is a 1-hectare park that will feature a mixture of plans and grassed areas for picnics, relaxation and the opportunity for open-air events like outdoor cinema or event broadcast on big screens. As part of the commercial precinct, one of the heritage buildings will be preserved and repurposed as a country club, complete with bar, restaurant and outdoor area, backing onto further green space.

We want to create a new village where people will want to live, work and play so urban greenery is a key part of the design.

Being able to walk to shops, restaurants and other amenities enhances the liveability of a community and boosts the resident’s enjoyment of living there.

Not only does it save the hassle of getting in the car and finding parking but walking is a more enjoyable experience and you can more easily take advantage of living in a desirable, well designed village where people want to be.

The Queensland government has led by example and has sought Yeerongpilly Green to achieve suitable ratings under the nationally accredited EnviroDevelopment rating scheme.

There is reduced reliance on power by providing correctly orientated buildings, with apartments that allow for cross ventilation and large windows.