Developers urge council to allow 41-storey towers in Gabba’s heart

In its report, Saunders Havill says the current plans had been “overtaken by events” such as the awarding of the 2032 Olympic Games to Brisbane, with the main Olympic stadium at the Gabba barely 250 metres away.

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“Since the adoption of the Woolloongabba centre neighbourhood, the long-term vision for the locality has changed dramatically with investment into significant transport infrastructure and the redevelopment of the Gabba stadium,” Saunders Havill Group says.

“…The provision of key infrastructure outcomes and the intent for the locality to be the centre of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games have changed the community’s expectations about the form and scale of development that will occur within the locality.

“These expectations are no longer linked to the provisions of the neighbourhood plan. This application seeks to align with the new expectations and builds on the vision of the locality for high-quality development outcomes that leverage the government investment in the precinct.”

As for the ventilation stack, Saunders Havill cited reports previously prepared for towers on the site of up to 30 storeys.

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“The relevant air quality [planning] criteria were predicted to be satisfied for the proposed Built toRent towers for indicative 30 storey building heights,” it says.

“There was also a notable downward trend in air pollutant exposure above level 25 indicating that the proposed towers of up to 40 storeys in height would also have been predicted to comply for the full height.”

There would also be consideration of the vent in the buildings’ design.

“The hotel/serviced apartment building is intended to have sealed facades [no openable windows or doors] for all facades more than 40 metres above ground level and all fresh air intakes for building mechanical ventilation system located no more than 40 metres above ground level,” Saunders Havill says.

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“This design strategy will mitigate risks of Clem7 Tunnel air pollutant exposure for occupants of the [tower four] hotel/serviced apartment building.”

The precinct around the Gabba has had a flurry of developer interest since Brisbane was awarded the Games in 2021.

Last week, Spinal Life Australia submitted plans for a tower – which it has no intention of building – just two blocks down Logan Road, on the other side of the Broadway Hotel.