Brisbane City Council approves controversial Kangaroo Point development

AFTER once calling it “bulky” and “a significant over-development of the site”, the Brisbane City Council has given the go-ahead for this project despite ongoing concerns from residents.

The development in Lambert Street at Kangaroo Point. Picture: Darren Cartwright

THE Brisbane City Council ticked-off on a 69-unit apartment block being shoehorned into Kangaroo Point despite numerous concerns including the site being significantly overdeveloped.

The BCC approved the development on a site equivalent to two-and-a-half average sized house blocks on Lambert St, just one month after raising the last of its issues with developer Pointcorp.

The council, on August 7 2015, stated the 69-unit building on the 979sqm block was “still a significant over-development of the site”, the building “was bulky” in appearance and the designed needed to “incorporate larger, more functional balconies.”

The BCC also stated the width of the block did not allow for suitable three-metre setbacks and “the proposed balcony sizes at all typical levels above the ground are considered to result in unusable outdoor space”.

Council originally said the development was too bulky for the site. Picture: Darren Cartwright

Yet within a month of outlining the last of its many concerns, which included the need for a minimum 11 on-site visitor car parks, and with the developer making minor adjustments, the 10-storey project was approved.

The development was assessed under the Sustainable Planning Act which is performance-based and was not criteria-based, which has stricter regulations including 12sqm balconies.

Prior to approval one apartment didn’t have a balcony at all.

In its response to council before approval, the developer stated residents of one and two-bedroom units “do not entertain within private recreation space”.

Pointcorp said the nine on-site car parks were complemented by a nearby CityCycle facility while rooftop and ground level entertaining areas compensated for smaller balconies.

The developer, which paid $5.3 million for the site, later added two more levels, taking it to 12 storeys.

Resident Robin Payne said locals were caught out by the approval because they thought the council “had their back”.

“The assessment manager wrote two letters saying the council weren’t supporting it … so when it was approved, there was no indication that was going to happen,” Mr Payne told The Courier-Mail.

Mr Payne said even the developer noted that the site was “unique” and therefore was unable to meet certain aspects of the building code.

“The plan determines whether a site is viable, a developer shouldn’t be able to say it’s not a viable site so give us all the concessions so we can make it viable,” Mr Payne said.

“The two letters from council should have been enough to say it was not going to be supported. No significant changes were made to reduce the bulk of the building.”

It’s at least the second Pointcorp development that has raised the ire of locals.

In 2013, concerns about insufficient setbacks and the size of two 12 storey-towers being built on a 2680sq m block at West End overlooking the Brisbane River were raised.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk twice responded to Mr Payne’s grievances.

In one letter he wrote: “I am advised the proposal met the acceptable outcome for height and performance outcomes for GFA (Gross floor area), site cover and setbacks.”

Mr Quirk wrote the development is in keeping with the suburb and supported natural light and breezes and the two additional storeys were within the code which meant the public did not need to be notified.

“Although technically defined as two additional storeys, the changes do not physically increase the overall building height compared with the existing approval,” Mr Quirk wrote.

A Brisbane City Council spokeswoman said the developer provided expert information to justify the reduced setbacks.

Mr Payne expected an apartment block on the site but did not anticipate the bulk size of the structure because “it did not conform to codes or the area plan”.

“Everyone feels helpless because the council is in control,” he said.

Pointcorp, which has marketed the project as Magnus, Kangaroo Point, was contacted for comment.