Multimillion-dollar riverfront units to replace historic New Farm flats

New Farm heritage lovers fear the demolition ball will soon wipe away one of the suburb’s oldest surviving flats after Council approved a super-luxury unit project. But some locals love what’s planned. HERE’S WHY

Prestige home builder Graya is expected to soon begin demolishing one of New Farm’s oldest flats after Council gave a developer the green light to build what will be some of Brisbane’s most expensive units.

Council last week ticked off on New Farm Property Development Co Pty Ltd’s plans for York, a seven-level riverfront project with just five units, each occupying an entire floor and with their own lift access.

The building, with sweeping views of the CBD, Story Bridge and even Moreton Island, would include a lavish rooftop entertainment area with pool, day beds, bar, dining area and fire pits.

The project involved demolition of Monaise, a 1923 Queenslander used as six low-cost flats.

It was one of about a dozen flats built in that decade to house the suburb’s rising middle class, but very few were now left.

Low-cost Bowen Tce, New Farm flats Monaise will be demolished for a luxury unit project.

Survivors included nearby Simla Flats and Hampton Court, both heritage listed.

Hampton Court was built in 1928 on the former tennis court of the once-sweeping Hawstead estate.

Monaise was built on Hawstead’s croquet lawn by Josephine Power, the widow of District Court Judge George Washington Power.

The proposal sparked a backlash from neighbours including Alison Bare who started a petition, which attracted 60 signatures in one day, calling on Council to heritage list Monaise.

Residents also wrote to Council asking it be heritage listed, but received a reply last month saying it had on heritage value despite being older than Hampton Court.

About 80 formal submissions were lodged with Council, split between supporters and objectors.

Ms Bare wrote that a formal listing as a Local Heritage Place would “ensure future

protection of the heritage value of the building itself, while also ensuring continued protection

of adjoining Local Heritage Places, Hampton Court and Edgecliffe Court (built in 1936)’’.

Brigitte Dwyer said the “old sense of New Farm, as a village, has disappeared and a ‘new’ New Farm is taking shape’’.

Artist's impression of how the unit project will look.

“The proportion of high-end development projects has clearly diminished stock of affordable housing,’’ she said.

“Most of the older homes that are not in a protected area have already been demolished.

“The tenants of Monaise, along with local residents interested in the history of New Farm, fought a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful battle to preserve the building.

“Anyone passing by this old timber house in its last weeks of existence should take a final moment to relish one of the last remnants of old Brisbane.’’

Other objectors wrote that the height exceeded the maximum five storeys allowed under the New Farm Teneriffe Hill Neighbourhood Plan, the gross floor area and site cover did not meet guidelines and tree planting was insufficient and mostly on the Bowen Tce frontage.

They claimed the 13 car spaces were not enough in an area notorious for limited street parks and a proposed car stacker was impractical.

How the rooftop level would look.

But supporters said the project would revitalise the streetscape and was one of many needed to modernise the city ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

“Graya have a proven track record with producing beautiful builds that assist with modernising the area without distracting from its beauty,’’ an anonymous supporter wrote.

“This project will help bring new life into this area of New Farm.’’

Town planners, Property Projects Australia, said in the development application (DA) documents that York’s design, by leading architects bureau proberts, was “consistent with the immediate locality, with the prevailing development pattern along the Brisbane River within New Farm consisting of buildings ranging from five to 15 storeys’’.

“It provides a design that improves the visual amenity of the area and provides a visual link to the Brisbane River via the communal rooftop terrace,’’ PPA wrote.

Views of the Story Bridge and CBD taken from Bowen Tce. Picture: Claudia Baxter

“The units have been designed to provide a high-quality residential building that pays homage to New Farm’s history, incorporating art deco features that are reflective of nearby heritage buildings.’’

“The proposal provides a unique new offering that is both contemporary and cutting edge in design, yet respectful to the location and nearby heritage surrounds.’’

Council wrote to the developer in May to outline a long list of concerns, many of which were later addressed, including the height, site cover, setbacks and “expanses of blank rendered blockwork wall’’.

PPA said the facade included draping foliage to create a building “embodied by a garden’’ and said the rooftop level was not counted as a level, following a recent Council rule change.

More details on Council’s online DA portal developmenti. Search for application A005900020