550 units, a dozen highrises: Why this suburb is booming

In just five years this historic suburb has added — or soon will add — thousands of units and over a dozen highrises up to 20-storeys high. But some people aren’t happy their little patch of paradise is being super-sized.

Plans for highrises have been coming thick and fast in Kangaroo Point since the new Neighbourhood Plan came in, which has super-sized the century-old suburb.

Aria Property Group has just submitted plans for the latest change to the area’s skyline, a 20-storey, 98-unit tower at 58-62 Leopard St.

If approved, it would feature a distinctive illuminated “art crown’’ visible by people walking far below.

A public, subtropical arcade would allow for pedestrians to walk towards the Gabba stadium and Cross River Rail.

The building also would feature a triple height lobby in order to free up the ground level for public open space.

Artist's impression of the proposed Aria tower.

Kangaroo Point’s Neighbourhood Plan, which included input from residents including the developer of some of these new towers, allows for 15-stories in most areas — up from 10 storeys.

Some areas can go to 20 levels, but much lower heights are in place in sensitive areas such as near the Story Bridge.

The new plan came into affect in February, 2020.

Despite the start of lockdown, Kangaroo Point added 698 one-bed apartments, 841 two-bed, 38 three-bed and 19 four-bed dwellings that year.

And at least large 13 towers have been proposed, or have started, since 2017.

Local Councillor Jonathan Sri said the suburb was lacking adequate public green space and — unless plans for a Woolies go ahead — even a supermarket.

But Council says infrastructure s coming, such as the Kangaroo Point green bridge.

In 2018, when the new Neighbourhood Plan was being shaped, then City Planning Chair Julian Simmonds said the State Government had demanded 188,000 more homes be added to Brisbane’s footprint.

“With a growing number of people choosing to take advantage of living in Kangaroo Point with easy access to the CBD, Council envisages the suburb population will nearly double, with an additional 4200 residents living on the peninsula,’’ he said at the time.

Locals block Lambert Street at a protest against the Pikos three-tower project. Picture: Peter Wallis

“Council believes that the high-density suburb of Kangaroo Point is an ideal location for unit development of up to 15 storeys in many areas, allowing more of Brisbane’s middle and outer suburbs to retain their character.”

His replacement, Cr Krista Adams, agreed.

The development boom in the suburb was one of the triggers for a public rally in May last year attended by several hundred people.

Former town planner Phil Heywood told the rally Council’s “relentless justification for population growth’’ was misguided.

“The overdevelopment being proposed in Kangaroo Point and in more than a dozen inner-city areas stems from a failure of the Council to add up the provisions it’s making in its many neighbourhood plans,’’ Dr Heywood said.

GOING UP: SOME OF THE PROJECTS PROPOSED SINCE 2017

Historic Shafston House. Picture: Tertius Pickard

In April, Kenlynn Property Group lodged a development application (DA) for a 39-unit, 15-level tower at 112-130 Lambert Rd.

Next door at 108 Lambert St, Pikos Property Group won a Planning & Environment Court appeal in May last year allowing it to go ahead with plans for a controversial 15-level, three-tower plan, but had to scale back the number of units from 300 to 278.

That project triggered street protests.

Perhaps the most controversial highrise plan in recent times to hit the suburb is Burgundy Group Property Development Pty Ltd’s 15-storey apartment and townhouse complex at the Shafston House site.

Heritage lovers were appalled when the plans were revealed in January, saying the 130-year-old building was one of only two remaining “riverine’’ homesteads in Brisbane still connected to the riverfront.

In March trouble hit the construction site of the 12-storey, 124 Riviere development which failed construction titan Condev was building for Aria on Main St.

Subcontractors were seen removing tools and equipment just weeks before the company collapsed.

How the O'Connell Tce tower could look.

In November last year a DA was lodged for an impressive 15-level tower at 44 Connell St which would boast a pool and large verandas with sweeping river views from the units, which would each occupy an entire floor.

Cr Sri said at the time that the project would worsen housing affordability.

He also pointed out that the developer had made a windfall profit after Council rezoned the site from 10 to 15 storeys, but would be charged only $72,000 in infrastructure fees.

A nearby set of traffic lights on River Tce would cost $1 million, in comparison.

“The developers want to knock down an existing six-storey apartment block containing 13 lower-cost apartments and replace it with a 15-storey block that has just 14 luxury apartments,’’ Cr Sri said.

Town planners for the project argued, however, that it should be approved as it would lower density and therefore local traffic.

How the 15-level complex would look, wrapped around 1800s-era Thornclyffe.

In May last year Council asked prominent developer Crete Investments to modify its plans for a five-storey building with hospitality, retail and office space next to the iconic Story Bridge.

The site, which currently has a two-level building, is within the heritage precinct of the Kangaroo Point landmark, supposedly protected as part of the new Neighbourhood Plan.

In 2017, a plan to wrap a modern 15-storey unit complex around 1880s heritage-listed Victorian-era homestead Thornclyffe sparked an uproar.

The owner said it was hard to sell heritage-protected properties and the project would ensure its renovation.

But Cr Sri said the plan was well above the 10-level height limit, among other concerns.

Katharine Fresier outside 11 Thornton St in 2017. Picture: Richard Walker

Multipart Property started construction on the well-received five-level, 10-apartment Palisade in December, 2018.

But an 18-storey JGL Properties tower at 11 Thornton St, announced late in 2017, met with fury from neighbours.

They said it overhung the boundaries of its tiny 733 sqm site so it could technically meet setback rules.

Resident Katharine Fresier said the there should also be an 800 sqm minimum size for a tower of that scale, under council rules.

Next door, the striking Walan also breached setback rules, she said.

But the 14-level tower, featuring one unit per floor which originally sold for $4 million each, was at least lauded by architects for its clever design.

It took out the 2019 Building of the Year at the Australian Institute of Architects’ Queensland Regional Architecture Awards .

Last year nearby 25 Pixley St, presently occupied by some rundown flats on a steep riverfront block, hit the market for a cool $8,888,000 (the price was aimed at Asian buyers, who believe the number eight is lucky).

Agent Robert Dunne said the property was zoned for up to 15 levels and had an existing approval for apartments and home offices up to 11 levels high.

The riverfront Pixley St site.