Why hundreds of units are coming to historic Spring Hill

Hundreds of highrise units and townhouses are already in the planning for this little inner-city suburb, and locals say that’s just the start. Here’s why, and why locals are worried.

A 15-storey apartment tower on the site of a century-old bread factory is the latest mega development unveiled for one of Brisbane’s oldest suburbs, Spring Hill.

RG Property has lodged a development application (DA) for 118 one, two and three-bed apartments at the 116-year-old Keating’s Bread Factory site in Warry St.

It comes after a furious backlash from residents about a two-tower hotel and unit project at the top of Warry St, now under construction.

The latest tower, at 36 Warry St, would integrate Thomas Keating’s 1907-era bread factory into the development through a series of public lanes with food and retail outlets.

The factory closed at the end of World War II and has been used for warehousing and other tenants since then.

“The development provides an opportunity to open Keating’s Bread Factory to a new audience, allowing for the appreciation and use of the factory by the future residents of, and visitors to the site,” planners Urbis wrote in the DA.

How the highrise project could look.

Artist's impression of the plaza area.

“New retail tenancies on the ground floor have been carefully integrated in between the existing heritage fabric on-site and the new building.”

“The proposed design will ensure the activation of the ground floor plane and public laneway and will deliver a new public realm generating a much-needed social link for Spring Hill and its immediate surrounds.”

The project included a communal space with yoga terrace, gym and rooftop facilities, 184 car spaces and vertical and ground-level landscaping supplied by a rooftop rainwater tank.

It is the latest in a wave of recent developments which have dismayed some locals.

How the Keylin two-tower project on Warry St, now under construction, will look.

Spring Hill Community Group spokesman Dr Neil Peach said the activity had spurred his group to try to come up with a longterm plan for how they believed their suburb should look.

It comes after the 2018 Spring Hill Neighbourhood Plan allowed highrise next to heritage and character properties.

“Council has earmarked part of Spring Hill as an extension of the CBD (allowing for more intensive development),’’ Dr Peach said.

“The whole block up to Leichhardt St and beyond is in that CBD extension.

“With the Olympics on our doorstep, and Victoria Park being utilised for some events, we are worried that much more development is coming.’’

More details on the Bread factory project are on Council’s online DA portal, developmenti. Search for application A006020142.

1875-era Claire cottage is being raised and extended.