By Kate Lockyer
Conflicting visions for Perry Park, currently sub-let to Brisbane Strikers Football Club, have left the site with an uncertain future.
Football Queensland recently announced a vision for a 15,000-20,000-seat boutique stadium; however, Strikers Chair Paolo Ucchino said they want a smaller stadium to ensure wider community access to green space.
Meanwhile, a now-closed petition submitted to both Brisbane City Council and Queensland Government by Clayfield resident Christopher McCoy garnered over 2,000 signatures for a mid-sized rectangular stadium at Perry Park.
In response to the petition, Minister for Tourism and Sport Michael Healy said Suncorp and Ballymore Stadiums “deliver suitable infrastructure for football”.
However, Mr McCoy wrote that the demand for Suncorp Stadium creates “significant fixture congestion at the site and dangerous playing conditions for athletes”.
“With upgrades, Perry Park could serve the Men and Women’s Brisbane Roar teams, the Brisbane Strikers, and Brisbane United,” he wrote.
Both the council and government have said it is up to the other to decide on future development at Perry Park.
Grace Grace, Minister for State Development and Infrastructure and Member for McConnel, said: “I’m happy to meet with Football Queensland and Brisbane Strikers to discuss improvements at Perry Park, however it’s ultimately up to council as the owner to determine its best use.”
“As State Development Minister I’ll work to ensure that any development proposals put forward under the PDA (Priority Development Area) deliver benefits for the club and the local community.”
A spokesperson for Brisbane City Council said while landowner’s consent is required for a development application, the land is within the government’s PDA and therefore the state government would be responsible for assessing any proposed development.
What do you think is the best future use for Perry Park?
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Photography: Aqua Photography