‘Height uplift’: Bid for tall towers to overshadow Newstead House

It was a site once considered for the ABC’s Brisbane headquarters, only to need extensive decontamination work and lay vacant for years as the broadcaster made a new home at South Bank.

Then came plans for a commercial hub to be known as the Breakfast Creek Quarter, of a scale consistent with the low-rise Bunnings and Mercedes-Benz buildings that had risen on either side.

An artist’s impression of the Breakfast Creek Quarter development proposed for Newstead in Brisbane.

Now, the owners of the still-vacant land on Breakfast Creek Road at Newstead, opposite Newstead House, have asked Brisbane City Council to approve a mixed-use development up to 28-storeys high.

Under plans lodged with council this week, the latest incarnation of the Breakfast Creek Quarter would have three residential towers taller than 20 storeys, comprising 752 units, above a retail and commercial plaza at ground level.

However, the current height limit in the area is 10 storeys. In preparation for an argument with council, the developers have compiled an analysis and comparison study to argue for a “potential height uplift” in Newstead North.

The latest incarnation of the Breakfast Creek Quarter would have a retail and commercial plaza at ground level.

Urbis, representing the site owner DJR Investments, argued the site should be considered like other parts of Newstead, Bowen Hills and Fortitude Valley where there is scope for 30-storey towers.

“With a burning platform for delivering housing supply to meet population growth in Newstead, the number of ‘catalytic’ sites available today is limited, meaning we must be opportunistic with developments in the short term to meet long-term growth,” Urbis told the council.

“With heights up to 30 storeys allowable within 200m from the site, and Albion heights exceeding Newstead North, heights must be redefined to support sustainable growth.”

The application was lodged a week after a group of Fortitude Valley residents went to a council meeting to demand Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner knock back a developer’s application to exceed the height limit in their area.

If approved, the towers in the Breakfast Creek Quarter would cast shade over heritage-listed Newstead House for part of the year. Urbis told the council no neighbouring residents would be affected, and the project would help draw more people to the area.

The council recently opened a $60 million bridge over Breakfast Creek for pedestrians, cyclists, scooter riders and pedestrians.

On the other side of Breakfast Creek, plans for a 17-storey tower that would overshadow the Breakfast Creek Hotel are still being considered by council.

The developers behind that project have, in response to requests from council, changed the design to be more sympathetic to the hotel, and the local area. The plan is still for 17 storeys.

With the Breakfast Creek Quarter project, Urbis made reference to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and venues originally planned in nearby Albion.

Albion Park Raceway was originally meant to be relocated to allow for construction of new sporting fields and a Brisbane Indoor Sport Centre. However, Racing Queensland has decided to stay at Albion and will instead make the course the centrepiece of its own housing and retail development.