Fears wave of development will overwhelm Spring Hill

Brisbane’s oldest suburb is facing radical change, with residents fighting multiple developments. The latest includes a 1900s cottage and one of the state’s first block of flats. SEE THE PLANS

Spring Hill residents say their suburb is in danger of being overrun by highrise, townhouse and unit developments in the countdown to the Olympics.

The latest project has left passers-by bemused after a rundown workers cottage built in 1875 was raised up on stumps as part of plans to rotate it, extend and build underneath.

A few hundred metres down the road Victoria Flats, one of the first purpose-built blocks of flats in Queensland, is slated for a three-unit development but is locked in a stalemate with Council.

And a group of four heritage-listed houses at 130-138 Fortescue St, which runs off Gregory Tce, are for sale.

The 149 Gregory Tce cottage has been raised to allow the site to be redeveloped.

“We are concerned at what might happen to them. There is about 800 sqm of (vacant) land behind two of the houses and we think it might be resurveyed so development can occur,’’ Spring Hill Community Group spokesman Dr Neil Peach said.

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

“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.’’

Artist's impression of the new-look 1900s worker's cottage at 149 Gregory Tce.

Dr Peach said his group was currently working on a longterm plan for how they believed their suburb should look, after outrage when the Spring Hill Neighbourhood Plan was voted into the Brisbane City Plan in 2018. That allowed highrise next to heritage and character properties.

The latest two developments on Gregory Tce come after residents last year lost a bitter fight against Chinese-backed Keylin Group’s plans for two, 15-level buildings near historic Carrington House.

Artist's impression of the Keylin two-tower project (in the foreground).

The controversial project, which includes a 12-bed hotel, function centre, bar, pool and restaurants, was quietly approved just before the Easter long weekend.

Builders recently knocked down a retaining wall at an adjacent mediumrise block of units, further enraging residents.

The landmark Victoria Flats on Gregory Tce.

A Spring Hill local was last year forced to withdraw a legal challenge against plans to build a 13-level student highrise on the site of the heritage-listed Karl Langer Gardens and former Main Roads building, after the State Government and Council worked with the developer to show the heritage listing would not be compromised.

And in October last year locals spoke up about a push by St Josephs College Gregory Terrace (“Terrace’’) to build a number of five-level buildings.

The plans were lodged via a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation, which allows the state infrastructure and planning minister to bypass Council laws.

Neighbours said traffic and parking were already a nightmare and the MID was so vague it was impossible to properly respond to it.

The unit block proposed for the rear of Victoria Flats.

Construction on the worker’s cottage at 149 Gregory Tce came after Council wrote to owner Clinton Wright in August last year raising concerns about extensive, partial demolition of the floor of the loft bedroom, internal walls, external stairs, a brick chimney, windows, doors and detail elements, and removal of its stucco walls.

Records show he bought the property in March last year for $910,000.

The land was originally bought by Captain Alexander Rooney, a Seaman/Master Mariner in 1874.

Captain Rooney built the cottage the next year and named it Clair Cottage. He lived there until 1883.

“Council are particularly concerned about the loss of integral elements, such as the lower height gable roof forms and associated building form, as a result of extending the house to the rear and the loss of significant portions of the main roof form at the rear which are considered integral to the house,’’ they wrote.

Protest banner on a unit block near the Keylin development site.

“The extent of demolition appears so comprehensive as to result in practical full demolition of the house, which is not supported.’’

However, the project was approved late last year and work is now well under way to raise the house to between 9.5m-11.1m and rotate it so it is parallel to Torrington St.

Work at Victoria Flats, at 369 Gregory Tce, is meanwhile in limbo after Council officers expressed concerns about aspects of a plan to build three units behind the state heritage-listed landmark.

One of the state’s first purpose-built blocks of flats, it was owned by Fanny Kilroe and originally known as Kilroe’s Flats when it opened in about 1923.

At the time most flats were just modifications or extensions to existing houses.

Planners for the owner said the units would not be visible from Gregory Tce and the heritage front garden and the four flats themselves would be retained.

Originally published as Fears wave of development will overwhelm Spring Hill