Kedron residents have secured assurances that their opposition to sweeping traffic controls near three private schools will lead to plan changes, but a separate project to install a pedestrian crossing on Wayland Street has sparked fresh frustration.
Residents in the Brisbane inner-north suburb had already pushed back against a council precinct plan that proposed parking restrictions around Mount Alvernia College, Padua College and St Anthony's Primary School. More than 320 pieces of feedback were received, and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner promised at Tuesday's council meeting to revise the plan to achieve "the right balance".
However, the day after consultation on that plan closed, about two dozen residents attended a separate meeting about a crossing project on an adjacent street. The crossing, at the intersection of Wayland and Lennon Streets, would allow students to cross from the Padua campus to a former council depot and quarry site jointly owned by the schools. The quarry is earmarked for expansion of both campuses, though neither school has publicly released a master plan.
Development applications first lodged in 2024 and re-lodged in June this year show council approvals for line markings and no-stopping lines that would remove about 12 on-street car parks. Funding is expected from a state grant, similar to raised crossing projects on Turner Road.
Wayland Street resident Simon Graham said he had believed the project was "dead and buried" when it was not included in the council's traffic plan. He said the majority of locals at the meeting, which also included Councillor Danita Parry and Labor state MP Luke Richmond, were upset they had not been consulted. "The anger [was] palpable in the room … there was genuine anger," he said. "None of the residents want this to be adversarial."
Graham also said residents were aggrieved that an alternative crossing further up the road, which would require a lift down a 20-metre cliff, had been assessed but was not put to the Department of Transport and Main Roads or council because of cost. Colliers had expected it could cost up to $3.5 million to construct, while the developers quoted closer to $1.5 million for the current proposal, Graham said. He said the roughly $2 million difference was small in the context of a redevelopment he expected to cost tens of millions of dollars.
“When it is finalised, it will reflect the desires of the community,” Schrinner said. The schools were contacted for comment.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Local residents feel unheard in decisions affecting their streets, raising questions about consultation processes.
- The dispute highlights tensions between school expansion and neighbourhood amenity in a rapidly growing area.
- The outcome may set a precedent for how the council balances development and community input in similar projects.
Background
Kedron is an inner-northern suburb of Brisbane. The Brisbane City Council has been working on a safer schools traffic precinct plan covering Mount Alvernia College, Padua College and St Anthony's Primary School. Residents strongly opposed the initial parking restrictions, leading to promised revisions. Separately, the council and developer Colliers are pursuing a pedestrian crossing project on Wayland Street, linked to the schools' joint ownership of a former quarry site intended for campus expansion. The schools have not publicly released a master plan for the site.
Key Perspectives
Kedron residents (Simon Graham): expressed anger at the lack of consultation on the crossing project and at the cost-driven choice of a cheaper crossing, arguing the $2 million difference is small relative to the overall development cost.
Brisbane City Council (Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner): stated the council is listening to community views and will amend plans to reflect residents' desires, aiming for the "right balance".
What to Watch
- Release of the council's revised traffic precinct plan after community feedback closes.
- Whether further consultation will be held on the Wayland Street crossing.
- Any public release of the schools' master plan for the quarry site.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says Kedron residents expressed “genuine anger” over a school traffic project.The Age - Latest News: ““The anger [was] palpable in the room … there was genuine anger,” he said.”
- SupportedThe summary says the Lord Mayor promised changes after residents rejected parking restrictions.The Age - Latest News: “Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner repeated the stance on the Brisbane City Council’s Tuesday meeting, promising revisions that would achieve “the right balance””
- SupportedThe summary says the separate crossing plan sparked new frustration.The Age - Latest News: “another project several streets away has reignited “genuine anger”.”
- SupportedThe Lord Mayor promised changes to the traffic plan to achieve “the right balance”.The Age - Latest News: ““We are listening, we will make changes to the plan, and when it is finalised, it will reflect the desires of the community.””
- SupportedMore than 320 pieces of feedback were received on the precinct plan.The Age - Latest News: “At the closure of community consultation on Sunday, the council had received more than 320 pieces of feedback.”
- SupportedAbout two dozen residents attended the separate meeting one day after consultation on the precinct plan closed.The Age - Latest News: “However, one day after precinct consultation had closed, about two dozen residents attended a separate consultation meeting”
- SupportedThe proposed Wayland and Lennon Streets crossing would let students cross from Padua’s campus to a former council depot and quarry site jointly owned by the schools.The Age - Latest News: “a street crossing at the intersection of Wayland and Lennon Streets, which would allow students to cross from the Padua campus to a former council depot and quarry site jointly owned by the schools.”
- SupportedGraham said the anger was palpable and residents did not want the dispute to become adversarial.The Age - Latest News: ““The anger [was] palpable in the room … there was genuine anger,” he said. “None of the residents want this to be adversarial.””
- SupportedGraham said an alternative crossing requiring a lift down a 20-metre cliff had been assessed but was not put to the transport department or council because of cost.The Age - Latest News: ““What aggrieved most residents was learning that an alternative had been assessed but was not put to the Department of Transport and Main Roads or [the] council because of cost,” he said.”
- SupportedColliers expected the alternative crossing could cost up to $3.5 million, while developers quoted closer to $1.5 million for the current proposal.The Age - Latest News: “He said Colliers had expected a crossing further up the road – which would require a lift down the quarry’s 20-metre cliff – could cost up to $3.5 million to construct. The developers quoted closer to $1.5 million for the current proposal, Graham said.”
- SupportedFunding for the crossing project is expected from a state grant.The Age - Latest News: “A letter sent from the schools in September 2024 revealed the project would be funded with a state grant”
- Partly supportedThe schools were contacted for comment.The Age - Latest News: “Padua and Mount Alvernia were contacted for comment.”