Starting Pistol Fires For Eagle Farm Shopping Precinct Application

Those who enjoy the sport of kings will soon have no excuse for forgetting to pick up the groceries or running that last errand on the 'to-do' list.

After lodging a development application to Brisbane City Council in 2016, the Brisbane Racing Club received the green light to establish a new Eagle Farm shopping centre precinct next to the Eagle Farm Racecourse.

Originally intended to reflect more of a 'neighbourhood centre' theme, the proposed project was designed by Thomson Adsett and includes provisions for a mix of restaurant, retail and commercial tenancies.

According to the application that was lodged in August 2016, the development will come to a height of two storeys, and will be anchored by a 3,770m2 supermarket tenancy at the ground floor. Eleven specialty retail tenancies are also proposed at ground level, ranging in size from 82 m2 to 200m2.

Although there have been no confirmed tenancy information regarding who will be occupying each of the retail spaces in the precinct, the design has been laid out to allow for the flexibility of use by a wide spectrum of specialty retail such independent shops, indoor sport and recreation and medical services. An outdoor dining area has been include into the design's layout.

The application revealed the upper level will comprise of seven commercial tenancies.

"The extent of the second storey is limited to directly above the specialty retail tenancies, with the supermarket area of the building limited to one storey plus a mezzanine level," it said.

Eagle Farm shopping centre precinct contains a ground-level open car park which includes a total of 297 parking spaces, and will be accessed by vehicle from Nudgee Road via two access points. According to the plans, the primary and only pedestrian access point to the site will be from the northern internal road, via an access ramp extending from the Nudgee Road pedestrian footpath. A consolidated single pedestrian access point has been included to deal with equitable and non-discriminatory access to the centre.

"The development has been designed to deliver a vibrant and functional retail neighbourhood centre," Thomson Adsett said.

Their aim is to produce a development that while providing a vibrant atmosphere for the public, it will also reflect and pay tribute to the heritage fabric and history of the Eagle Farm Racecourse through contemporary adaptations of these elements.

"This is achieved through the use of materials which echo the heritage significance on the site, including exoised brick, terra cotta, timber and wrought iron. Architectural details which reflect those of the heritage racecourse buildings are also incorporated throughout the design, including pitched roof lines, archways, punched windows and exposed structural elements."

During the World War II, racing was suspended at the Eagle Farm Racecourse and was used as a military camp. Racing didn’t commence again until 1946.

In 2009, QTC merged with another racing club, The Brisbane Turf Club, who started in 1923 and operated at Doomben Racecourse. Together, they formed the Brisbane Racing Club.

Together with Doomben racecourse under the amalgamated club, Eagle Farm holds more than 90 race meetings and hosts over 300,000 patrons every year. The racecourses are home to significant regional and local racing events such as the Premiers Cup, the Lord Mayor’s Cup, the AAMI Stradbroke Day, the Queensland Oaks Day, the Doomben Cup and the Doomben 10,000, all of which are followed with interest by the public, media and industry.