$800m West Village development in QLD gets the go ahead

The Queensland Government has given the green light to the $800 million West Village development by Sekisui House on the Absoe site in West End.

According to Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Jackie Trad, this key inner city site is going to be home to a new world-class development.

“This is a significant urban renewal project that will create thousands of jobs and it was vitally important that we got the planning right,” Ms Trad said.

Artist impression of the development (source: The Urban Developer)

Ms Trad also said that over 700 submissions were sent in from the community and stakeholders during the proposed call-in period and that majority of the proposals were desiring a better urban design outcome.

“It was obvious there were significant state interests involved with the development including its economic significance, environmental factors, housing supply, liveable communities and ensuring that there is an effective and accountable planning and development assessment system,” Ms Trad said.

The West Village development will, however, not follow the original plans that were submitted since Ms Trad’s approval came with several conditions that needed to be upheld.

Key conditions for the development include the following:

• Doubling in public green space, with two major open space areas – one fronting Boundary Street and the other fronting Mollison Street.
• Reduction of overall site cover from 95 per cent to the approved 80 per cent.
• Decrease the number of apartments to a maximum of 1,250.
• Designate 30 per cent of the site as a 24-hour publicly accessible open space, laneways and arcades.
• Ensure that the open space adjacent Boundary Street is delivered within six months of occupation of any apartments on site – which includes those that were already approved.
• Retain and re-use the two existing heritage buildings on the site and prohibit the construction of additional residential on top of the heritage buildings.
• Construction of seven buildings above the podium which ranges from eight to 22 storeys in height, with an improved design outcome that’s going to be achieved through the transition of building heights across the site.
• Having safe and accessible cyclist and pedestrian linkages through the site.
• Create an internal private street which provides access to the development as well as provide pedestrian and cyclist access between Mollison Street and Little Jane Street.
• Have provisions for community uses such as a childcare centre and public art spaces.
• The development should achieve a five star green rating
• There should be fewer car parking spaces; have provision of a car share scheme and electric parking stations.

Artist impression of the development (source: The Urban Developer)

“We understood that we had the opportunity to create a world class urban renewal project for this 2.6ha inner city site and I am confident that based on the expert planning advice I’ve received and by applying conditions to the development we have been able to achieve this outcome.

“West Village will help set the new benchmark for urban renewal developments in Brisbane and ensure they are set to the standards of a world class city,” Ms Trad said.

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Source: The Urban Developer and Queensland Government