South Brisbane apartment tower plans resubmitted four days after council green light, adding 10 storeys, 66 units

Just four days after it was approved by council, the developer of a 20-storey inner-city Brisbane tower has submitted new plans to take it another 10 storeys higher. But while the plans would add 66 new units, only a handful of extra car parks would be provided.

A DEVELOPER has gone back to Brisbane City Council only 96 hours after its South Bank tower was approved, asking to increase its height by 10 storeys.

An update to plans for the 20-storey apartment complex at Merivale St to add an extra 10 floors was submitted just five days before Christmas and will need to be re-examined by council’s planning department.

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The change, which would take the number of units in the complex from 128 to 194, has been criticised by the local Greens councillor as being too dense.

Despite the extra apartments, the new plans include an extra 100 car spaces.

An updated render of the proposed 30-storey tower, which would tower over South Brisbane. An approved development on the site, which appears largely the same, would be only 20 storeys. Picture: PD Online/Aria Property.

Developer Aria Property Group has added 83 new bicycle spaces to the proposal.

The original proposal was submitted in May last year and approved on December 16th, only four days before the updated plans appeared on Brisbane City Council’s planning website.

The development will also be split into three stages, with a new four-storey commercial development to house community space, food and drink outlets, shops and offices.

The proposal is down the street from the trendy Fish Lane precinct and within walking distance of South Brisbane railway station, the Cultural Centre and much of South Bank.

Render of the planned 30-storey tower, which was approved on December 16th for a height of 20 storeys. Picture: PD Online/Aria Property.

It would reach the limit of 30 storeys stipulated under the local neighbourhood plan.

“The proposed development comprises a truly iconic and world-class residential building,” the design document states.

“The building will retain the dramatic architectural design of the original approval.”

Gabba councillor Jonathan Sri, whose ward includes South Brisbane, criticised the project for not meeting requirements and urged council to reject it.

“This project is far denser than the neighbourhood plan allows, which will exacerbate the already severe shortage of parkland, community services and public facilities,” Cr Sri told The Courier-Mail.

“They aren’t even providing the bare minimum of trees and open green space on site.”

Cr Sri also called on the developer to make some of the apartments into public housing for homeless locals.

The site sits next to a cafe along Merivale St, not far from the trendy Fish Lane. Picture: Google.