REMEMBER WHEN

Saturday, August 28, 2010

THE first high-rise school in Australia – of up to 50 storeys – was to be built on the Gold Coast after a study was conducted by Education Queensland.

An asset management study involving the beachfront Broadbeach State School took place into the school’s future site, valued at up to $150m.

One option was to sell a portion of the Old Burleigh Road 3ha site where, potentially, a deal could be struck with a developer which could build a high-rise to be used partly by the school.

If built, it would follow the likes of high-rises in New York, made up of schools and businesses or residences, where the concept has been widely used for decades to handle dense population.

Sources said the Broadbeach school – which was at 96 per cent capacity with 597 students – would need to consider higher buildings if it wanted to continue to grow with the community.

Queensland Association of State School Principals president Norm Hart said the idea should be explored. ‘‘We don’t have a position on this but there is a case where St Laurence’s (College) in Brisbane sold part of their school land to put the Mater Hospital carpark in.

“As part of the agreement, the top of the carpark became their oval. I think that is quite a creative solution for both.

“(In relation to Broadbeach) I could see that provided there was some sensitivity around the needs of young children and how the internal arrangements were made in the building. I could see that working quite well,” he said.