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The 'Sandgate is dying' narrative
Some locals are sceptical about a specific claim that is often made: that Sandgate is dying and high-rise development is the only way to resurrect it.
Some in the community believe that the tired appearance of some main street buildings is less to do with lack of population growth and much more to do with some property owners underinvesting in their properties, whether intentionally or otherwise, because they anticipate that height restrictions will be lifted, making way for high-rise redevelopment and the windfall that this would bring. In this way, the ‘Sandgate is dying and the only solution is highrises’ narrative works to their advantage and further incentivises lack of investment in existing properties.
Other examples of suburbs exist where investment has been made in existing properties and there is plenty of foot traffic and economic activity without high-rise development on the main street. There is currently a significant new development in the pipeline in the main street in Bulimba, expected to boost the vitality of the area, and arguably the reason this is happening there and not here is that there is no incentive in Bulimba to hold out for more storeys. This is worth exploring further.