Push to upsize controversial Taringa retirement, aged care project

The developer behind Brisbane’s most controversial retirement and aged care project has applied to squeeze in more units and an extra level.

Retirement giant TriCare has applied to Council to squeeze in 28 more aged units, five more retirement living apartments and an extra level on one of three towers it wants to build in Taringa.

It comes after neighbours in the upmarket inner-west suburb, including real estate icon Arthur Conias, recently complained about the sorry state of the sprawling 52 Seven Oaks St site.

The former headquarters of pathology firm Sullivan and Nicolaides has been targeted by vandals, with numerous smashed windows, holes in walls, graffiti, weeds, overgrown grass and vermin turning it into an eyesore.

Artist's impression of the TriCare development.

The project stirred up a storm of controversy as it was originally planned to be, effectively, six times the allowable height under the local neighbourhood plan.

After a court challenge TriCare scaled back the towers, which are now still two to three times the allowable height.

Last week it applied for a material change of use to add an extra floor of residential aged care beds to building three.

How the project would look once completed.

Car parking will be consolidated on two levels for buildings one and two, but on only one level in building three.

Site access will now be via Seven Oaks St instead of Whitmore St, which is very steep and carries more traffic.

“The proposed enhancements to the design are achieved within the approved maximum building height,’’ Town Planning Alliance said in the development application (DA) documents.

The vandalised TriCare site, a former pathology laboratory.

“There are no resulting adverse amenity impacts by way of access to natural sunlight, breezes or views.

“The removal of the Whitmore St access improves the safety of the local road network.

“All vehicle movements are now consolidated predominantly within the building, resulting in improved amenity and increased deep planting (trees planted directly into the ground, rather than planter boxes) along the southern boundary.’’

The changes also included more than doubling the size of the clubhouse facilities, which will boast a pool, spa, gym, cinema, lounge, games room, library and function room.