Urban renewal plan for riverfront industrial site in South Brisbane

The owner of an inner-city industrial site long coveted by developers has asked Brisbane City Council to endorse its vision for urban renewal.

Heidelberg Materials, formerly known as Hanson Australia, has lodged a development application for three 50-storey towers and a riverside park on a 12,921 square-metre site at South Brisbane.

Seizing on council’s push for taller, higher-density developments on the Kurilpa peninsula, the company has proposed 620 apartments be built in the Nott Street complex.

Heidelberg Materials commissioned FJCStudio to design a new park and residential precinct for its riverside industrial site in Brisbane.

Most apartments would have three or four bedrooms, and the development would be delivered in stages yet to be specified.

However, the flood risk and land contamination has led designers to propose only one level of basement parking, with a maximum of 841 resident and visitor car spaces incorporated into the towers and above-ground areas.

More than an acre of the site, along the riverfront, would be transformed into a park with gardens, footpaths and other amenities.

“The proposed park significantly enhances the river edge, with multiple uses and areas including deep planting, terraced seating, and multiple lawn and planted areas,” documents state.

“In addition to the proposed park, the development also provides generous shared spaces at the ground level between the three towers that accommodates a range of active uses such as retail and food and beverage.

“Pedestrian connections are proposed from the existing Hockings Street and Nott Street, through the site, to the park and beyond to the riverside drive walkway and the Brisbane River.”

Initial plans for three residential towers at Nott Street in South Brisbane.

If approved, the residential complex would be heavily reliant on public and active transport.

The plans set aside roughly one residential car space for every two bedrooms, along with on-site parking for up to 775 bicycles and e-bikes.

The council has already proposed nearby Montague Road be modernised with dedicated bus lanes supporting high-frequency services, and better paths to reduce the reliance on cars and help sustain quality of life.

Another nearby development proposal has already been scaled back due to flood risk and land contamination. However, the council and state government this year eased the parking requirements for inner-city towers, ostensibly in a bid to boost the supply of housing and keep costs down.

The proposed Nott Street complex is near the Visy Glass site, earmarked to become the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games media centre, and around the bend from the cultural precinct and South Bank.

South Bank has its own masterplan for renewal, and is flanked by other proposed residential towers and a five-star hotel.

The proposed complex is also across the river from Suncorp Stadium and the Roma Street Parkland, which will both be considered for redevelopment as part of the government’s Games venue review.

Brisbane’s strong population growth has put pressure on governments to deliver more housing and infrastructure, and is expected to remain high beyond 2032.

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