Government Approves $800 Million West Village

The Queensland Government has announced the approval of Sekisui House’s $800 million West Village development on the Absoe site in West End.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Jackie Trad said the key inner city site will 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.

“I received more than 700 submissions from the community and stakeholders during the proposed call in period, with the majority supporting a call in and 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.

“It was for these reasons I made the decision to call the West Village development in.

“My reassessment of the application was based on planning merit alone, which has been demonstrated through my decisions on previous call ins.

“As is standard practice, government officers entered discussions with the developer for the West Village call in on a range of issues including public space and built form.

“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.

The new design is believed to double the amount of urban parkland around the old Peters Ice Cream factory warehouse building and in create what would become a majestic setting around the character building.

The updated conditions of approval include provision for a new childcare centre, artist-in-residence studios, a knowledge incubator and community-use studios.

The key conditions of approval for the site include:

• A doubling in publicly accessible green space, including two major areas of open space, one fronting Boundary Street and one fronting Mollison Street
• Reduction in overall site cover from the 95% approved by BCC to 80%
• A reduction of overall apartments, with a maximum of 1250 apartments
• 30% of the site to be designated as 24 hour publicly accessible open space, laneways and arcades
• Ensuring that the public space fronting Boundary Street will be delivered within 6 months of occupation of any apartments on site – including those already approved
• The retention and re-use of two local heritage buildings and prohibiting construction of additional residential on top of heritage buildings
• Seven buildings above the podium, ranging from 8 to 22 storeys in height – with an improved design outcome achieved through the transition of building heights across the site
• Safe and accessible pedestrian and cyclist linkages through the site
• An internal private street providing access to the development and providing pedestrian and cyclist access between Mollison Street and Little Jane Street
• The provision of community uses including a childcare centre and public art space
• The requirement for development to achieve a 5 star green rating
• Fewer car parking spaces and the provision of a car share scheme and electric parking stations.

The approval also makes changes to the original proposal for provision of the following uses:

• Car wash where enclosed and located with an enclosed car parking area of a shopping centre
• Centre activities (activity group), other than caretakers accomodation and emergency services
• Garden centre where the gross floor area of the premisis is less than 1,500 sqm
• Hardware and trade supplies, where the gross floor area of the premises is less than 1,500 sqm
• Home based business
• Hotel
• Market
• Multiple dwelling
• Nightclub entertainment facility
• Parking station other than bicyle parking
• Residential care facility
• Retirement facility
• Rooming accomodation
• Shop where the gross floor area of the premisis for an individual tenancy is no greater than 1,500 sqm
• Shop being a supermarket where the gross floor area of the premises for an individual tenancy is greater than 1,500 sqm but no greater than 4,500 sqm.
• Showroom where the gross floor area of the premises is less than 1,500 sqm.
• Telecommunications facility, other than a broadcasting station or television station
• Utility installation where a sewerage pump station or water pump station

For more information visit www.dilgp.qld.gov.au/planning/development-assessment/west-village.html

Read previous DA article here.