New details emerge as developer plans five-storey tower next to Story Bridge

Council staff have expressed concerns for plans for a proposed retail and office building, given it adjoins two heritage listed sites.

Council has asked prominent developer Crete Investments to modify its plans for a five-storey tower 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.

The proposed exterior of the building.

Crete this week lodged a development application for a material change of use for the property at 5 Wharf St, which adjoins both the Story Bridge and is next to Carroll House, a local heritage place.

The lot as it appears now.

The developers, in consultation with Place Design Group, have proposed a redevelopment of the site which would include two retail tenancies on the ground floor, commercial tenancies on levels one to four and two basement levels for carparking.

The ground floor would be home to either retail or hospitality businesses.

Council officers said in a pre-lodgement meeting with Crete that they were concerned about the impact of the proposed building on the streetscape, sight lines to and from the Story Bridge and evidence of Kangaroo Point’s past as a village community.

They advised Crete to modify its design to better respond to the cultural and heritage significance of the place.

An artist's impression of how the development would look next to nearby Carroll House.

Suggested changes to the proposal included darker coloured brickwork, greater setbacks and increased landscaping on the street frontages.

A heritage adjoining assessment prepared by Malcolm Elliot of Vault on behalf of the applicants found that as the proposal did not involve any demolition work or lot reconfiguration it would not have a negative impact on the surrounding places of note.

The proposed development under the Story Bridge deck level.

Mr Elliot further noted the building height was capped to the deck height of the bridge and the level two floor plate directly adjoined the roofline of Carroll House, to maintain the visual emphasis on the adjoining heritage building.

The council has yet to formally assess the application.

Proposed floorplans suggest a retail space and a cafe on the ground floor.