A new 17-storey, two-tower residential development has been proposed by Progeny Projects and Finegrain Group for 24 Duncan Street, West End.
Designed by Betts+Partners, the proposed development would be delivered in two stages, that accommodates the sequential construction of the two towers.
On the ground level, the development will provide a 250m2 retail tenancy, 152m2 commercial tenancy and 124m2 community use tenancy. A 47m2 bicycle workshop is also provided as well as two dedicated EV fast charging stations.
On the level-19 rooftop, each building boasts recreation decks interconnected by a pedestrian bridge. These roof decks include two pools, a third children’s pool, a gym, a yoga/Pilates studio, two lounges, two private dining rooms, a work-from-home library, a cinema room, a sunset terrace, gardens, hot and cold plunge pools, and a wellness area with treatment rooms.
The development plans to dedicate over 30% of the ground floor to publicly accessible space. This area will include landscaping, seating areas, lighting, public art, water features, and mature trees, designed to extend the footpath reserve and enhance the pedestrian experience.
Project rundown
| Development Parameter | Proposed Development |
|---|---|
| Development Type: | Residential development |
| Site Area: | 4,190m² |
| Height: | Stage 1 – Tower A: 17 Storeys + Roof deck / RL 72.95m Stage 2 – Tower B: 17 Storeys + Roof deck / RL 72.95m |
| Apartments: | Stage 1 – Tower A: 10 x 1 bedroom apartments, 49 x 2 bedroom apartments, 42 x 3 bedroom apartments (total 101 apartments) Stage 2 – Tower B: 10 x 1 bedroom apartments, 49 x 2 bedroom apartments, 42 x 3 bedroom apartments, (total 101 apartments) |
| Elevators: | Stage 1 – Tower A: x3 elevators (lift-to-unit ratio of 1:33.6) Stage 2 – Tower B: x3 elevators (lift-to-unit ratio of 1:33.6) |
| Communal Space: | 353m2 communal rooftop in stage 1, tower A & 193m2 in stage 2, tower b. 1,472.5m² of communal open space in total |
| Retail: | 250m2 retail tenancy, 152m2 commercial tenancy and 124m2 community use tenancy |
| Car Parking: | Stage 1 – Tower A: Resident bays: 145, Visitor bays: 17 Stage 2 – Tower B: Resident bays: 176, Visitor bays: 21 |
| Bike Parking: | Stage 1 – Tower A: Residents: 102, Visitor: 52 Stage 2 – Tower B: Residents: 104 |
| Developer: | Progeny Projects and Finegrain Group |
| Architect: | Betts+Partners |
| Landscape Design: | RPS |
| Town Planner: | Mecone |
| Sustainability: | – Flat plate photovoltaic cells to enclosed rooftop extent to assist reducing energy loads for communal area lighting and building energy loads – EV charging provided to selected visitor car parking areas and opportunity for resident EV charging – Garden planters and elevated gardens throughout – Water harvesting for landscaping – Separate recycling and general waste chutes for each tower to encourage resident waste recycling. -Building will achieve NCC requirements for energy efficiency and address BCC endorsed environmental design guide tools that include NABERS and EnviroDevelopment. |
| Date Submitted: | 12/07/2024 |
The development follows the “Buildings that Breathe” guidelines, promoting environmentally responsive architectural design with the podium featuring green walls and vertical gardens, providing a dynamic facade and contributing to the building’s environmental performance.
The residential towers are designed with high ceilings, natural ventilation, and large outdoor terraces. Common areas include double-height garden spaces at each lift core, maximising light and cross ventilation.
The development provides several benefits, including:
According to the development application, each residential apartment type is tailored to a diversity of demographics that will either own, rent or co-locate with family and friends within the context of a new subtropical urbanity.
Downsizers will have the opportunity to upsize their quality of living; families will be provided the opportunity to connect with community and public amenity; couples and singles will be afforded the opportunity to live the West End lifestyle close to employment.
Two diverse urban conditions exist within the West End site context that are separated by Montague Rd. The Riverside South Precinct to the west is a high density residential zone comprising predominantly apartment buildings and contrasted by the established suburban character to the east with primarily post war single detached dwellings.
Betts+Partners
The application goes on to state that the current high construction costs compared with historical norms are placing immense pressure on project viability in the industry. “Builder/ Developers are best placed to confront these cost challenges. As a Builder/ Developer, Progeny Projects and Finegrain Group is well-positioned in the current market to realise this project and deliver quality housing for a broad demographic.”
24 Duncan Street currently accommodates a one storey warehouse and is one of a few remaining undeveloped sites in this West End riverside pocket between Montague Road and Riverside Drive.
Plans
Plans-1Development application link
Tell us what you think about this development below in the comment box. The development application for this project, available to view on Brisbane City Council’s Developmenti online platform is:
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Yet another set of towers, and this one right on the riverfront! Without commenting on the design, we have to ask questions about infrastructure – traffic management, parking, public transport? Does the council have a plan for this significant population increase to this area as a result of approving these large, dense developments. How far does the council plan to go with these approvals? Will they conclude when every industrial block has been filled with these high rise developments? What is the vision for West End?
I can only echo the comments above.
We have lived in West End and Highgate Hill areas for eight years including in an eleven storey tower and now in an eight storey building.
The maximum height of all the towers in this area adjacent to the river has been around eleven storeys and now we are being forced to accept two towers around 50% taller. All really high tower blocks were supposed to be at the other end of Montague Street with West End remaining an attractive mix of single level traditional dwellings and medium level towers.
The Council must lower the heights of these proposed developments or all future developments in this already congested area will be of similar size.
I fully concur with the first two comments.
West End has had fifteen years of densification with little improvement in infrastructure and traffic management. It’s already a nightmare getting to and from work along Montegue Road. There are several large multi-storey apartment blocks under construction in the immediate area and another large project has recently been approved at 281-297 Montegue Road for another 345 apartments. These will make matters worse. The few remaining sites ripe for development, including this one, should be placed on hold until plans are in place to improve matters. In addition, the reason this area was mainly industrial in the past, and not used for housing, was that it floods badly – another reason to take a step back and consider before building two 17 storey towers on Duncan Street.. And, of course, what’s happened about the Victoria Street ferry stop?
I think a 6-7 sorties development or townhouses will be better suited. Or even public space? There are enough buildings in construction already and another 5 in development…
another candidate for a once in 100 years flood in 2033
Also live in the area. Expected that site to be developed but the height is unexpected- what happened to the development rules. Montague Rd is already overloaded and the buses too. More needs to be done with the infrastructure before allowing more buildings
I too echo the above comments.
The buildings are increasing in night and blocking older buildings on. Balconies are becoming useless as they simply look into another apartment.
That area of West End needs to remain lower in apartment building height.
The traffic is terrible and the constant construction noise is driving us from our homes.
I agree with above comments – the height of the planned build is too much, council have deemed this area high density, developers are filling the coffers, no oversight from local council. There are buildings on Victoria St, Kurilpa St, Tondara Lane and more in progress. West End is becoming lost.
It will destroy the neighbourhood. It needs to be either a boutique building or townhouses as the buildings around are on average about 6 floor and townhouses. It will shade the neibouring flats and townhouses in the most horrible way by destroying these properties. It is also located on flooding area. It would be far more productive for the neighbourhood if the land was bought by the council and turned into parkland as there is nothing of the sort on Duncan Street. There is also no place for people that already live in the are to park during flooding. This site would also be ideal for this purpose by helping the community instead of destroying it.
This development proposal is vastly over-sized at twice the height of those around it. Yet again there will be a massive increase in resident numbers (together with the Victoria st precinct it is the equivalent of an additional small village) Why are developers still able to include enormous car parking facilities when all major urban centres are reducing them. (and 2 dedicated EV charging stations…..really !!)
As mentioned previously, there needs to be a coherent plan for the future development of West End, not merely an endless in-filling of one and two story commercial sites, with taller and taller buildings.
This proposal is full of the usual “Utopia”-speak drivel about “opportunities to connect with the community ” and as for “Adding 202 apartments to the area, addressing housing affordability and availability.”…….seriously !
This site and the one adjacent would serve the local community much better if they were acquired by council for much needed green space co-designed to help alleviate flooding.
I remember seeing this block advertised for sale, there was a stipulation that a new building couldn’t be higher than 8 floors. What happened to that? This would be a giant amongst much lower buildings. It will stick out like a sore thumb. I really don’t think this area needs it. It’s already busy and is getting louder.
Clearly nobody wants this ugly overly-tall set of towers that are only designed to maximise developer profit. We don’t want West End to look like the disaster that is Surfers Paradise. The success of famous European cities like those in western Europe are that for generations authorities there have limited building heights to around 7 or 8 levels to make associated transport and service delivery sustainable. This proposal will ruin the current look and feel of our community, cause traffic gridlock and as others have noted cast ugly shadows over neighbouring buildings. Listen to the community for goodness sake. Nobody wants this and we will rise up in numbers to oppose it.
Too tall,are there any guidelines left to adhere to.I would agree with all the above comments,time to pause and rethink the parameters for this project.
This part of West End is already becoming a slum, a ghetto to which this development will add. More termite mounds is the last thing Duncan Street needs. But then we dont have the bottomless pockets to convince councillors otherwise.
xaunxg
Disagree with the above comments.
As a long term resident of Duncan Street, this development offers several key positives to the area.
The development would be a great addition to the area and help to address the dire housing needs clearly evident.
The design and aethetics on the whole look pleasing and in keeping with the character of the local area. The opening up of the ground floor space to link up table 26 and little rogers would be a welcome addition to the area and the growing community and vibe in the local vicinity.
How do the above commenters feels about the army of tents growing daily along the river due to lack of accomodation being built ? Too many ill informed NIMBYs who want to live in the past and hold back the future to prevent young queenslanders from having a home. Shame upon you all.
This development should be increased in height, to mimic the height of the closest develomemts on the opposite bank of the river, which it will soon be connected to. 21 stories would be sufficient and allow for a greater proportion of affordable homes. Other nearby developments should also be increased in height. A bridge levy on the new development to fund the construction of the West end to Toowong bridge would massively improve the infrastructure connectivity in the area.
The high density in West is ideal and will help enforce the necessity of the bridge and its improved transport links.
No doubt commenters would rather see Brisbane remain in the past, have the city and its ridiculous sprawl continue, stretching out further in every direction further, rather than having growth where it needs to be- right here, with densification of great, well connected, inner city locations like this one. This development will help provide homes to young Queenslanders and those who have to make their own way in the world; those not gifted large sums of cash to get onto the property ladder by parents living in luxury mansions in West End who post on these websites under false pretences simply for their own vested interest and selfish need to further inflate their own property price. Shame on you.
Get it built, build it higher.
Push to build the bridge – if this development can help fund the bridge…even better ! West End needs the connection to the railway station and university to reduce the traffic down Montague road as stated above.
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