BMD to deliver first phase of Brisbane 2032 athlete village

Brisbane 2032 organisers have hailed a “significant milestone” in preparations after appointing BMD Group to deliver the first phase of development for the athlete village.

BMD’s works will transform the Northshore precinct with new and significantly upgraded roads as well as landscape and services infrastructure, including the creation of a sub-tropical boulevard along Macarthur Avenue, which will feature separated cycleways, footpaths and landscaping.

The A$87m Street Renewal Programme, enabled by Economic Development Queensland, is described as a “significant milestone” in the city’s preparations for hosting the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The programme will create new development sites ready for the Brisbane Athlete Village to commence construction in coming years.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles said: “Northshore will become home to Team Australia, and incredible athletes and para-athletes from right around the world, when Brisbane hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games. And after the Games, this area will be repurposed into much need housing, including social and affordable homes.”

The Brisbane Athletes Village will house more than 10,000 athletes and team officials for the Olympic Games and more than 5,000 for the Paralympic Games and have training facilities.

Following the Games, the Brisbane athlete village will be repurposed into a range of diverse housing including social, affordable, hotel, retirement and market with community, recreation and leisure facilities.

Scott Power, chief executive of Brisbane-headquartered BMD, said: “Having delivered necessary infrastructure upgrades within Northshore Brisbane since 2016, BMD’s experience, capability and collaborative approach to contracting will pave the way for the Brisbane Athlete Village and beyond.”

The Australian and Queensland Governments in February 2023 committed more than A$7bn in funding to improve infrastructure ahead of the 2032 Games.

Brisbane 2032 is pursuing a somewhat low-key main stadium for the Games following a major about-turn in plans back in March. At that time, the Queensland Government elected to scrap a planned major redevelopment of The Gabba and reject a review committee’s recommendation to build a new “world class stadium”. The Gabba plan was ultimately axed in favour of an option to upgrade Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) Stadium to 40,000 seats for the Games, with 14,000 seats in legacy mode, at a cost of A$1.6bn.