Bell v Brisbane City Council

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COURT
OF QUEENSLAND

CITATION:

Bell v Brisbane City Council & Ors [2017] QPEC 26

PARTIES:

KATE PETA BELL

Appellant

v

BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL

Respondent

and

SUNLAND DEVELOPMENTS NO. 8 PTY LTD

Co-Respondent

and

CHIEF EXECUTIVE ADMINISTERING THE SUSTAINABLE PLANNING ACT 2009

Co-Respondent by Election

FILE NO/S:

2868 of 2015

DIVISION:

Planning and Environment

PROCEEDING:

Appeal

DELIVERED ON:

10 May 2017

DELIVERED AT:

Brisbane

HEARING DATE:

13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 June 2016, 27, 28 July 2016, 18 August 2016

JUDGE:

Rackemann DCJ

ORDER:

The further hearing of the appeal is adjourned.

CATCHWORDS:

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT – submitter appeal – proposal for 3 high-rise multi-unit towers, retention and reuse of a heritage place, open space and other uses on former ABC site at Toowong – where site in the Major Centre Zone, the Toowong Centre precinct, covered by a heritage overlay and designated as both a land mark site and a catalyst site – extent of centre issues – integration with the Toowong centre – height – bulk and scale – building separation – setbacks – infrastructure – heritage – traffic – amenity, privacy, overshadowing – economic and community need – architectural quality – landmark – subtropical design – tower-over-podium vs tower-in-plaza – streetscape and site activation – building transition – centre legibility – quality of open space – visual amenity, character and integration – site planning generally – nature and extent of conflict and grounds

COUNSEL:

D Gore QC with M Batty for the Appellant

M Hinson QC with N Loos for the Respondent

C Hughes QC with M Williamson, J Lyons and D Jones for the Co-Respondent

N Kefford for the Co-Respondent by Election

SOLICITORS:

Connor O’Meara for the Appellant

Brisbane City Legal Practice for the Respondent

McCullough Robertson for the Co-Respondent

Norton Rose Fulbright for the Co-Respondent by Election

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction..................................................................................................... 5

(i)The site.............................................................................................. 5

(ii)The proposal...................................................................................... 6

(iii)The locality........................................................................................ 7

The assessment regime..................................................................................... 8

The issues......................................................................................................... 8

General town planning context........................................................................ 9

Site specific provisions of the TANP.............................................................. 13

Centre issues.................................................................................................... 18

(i)Centre activities................................................................................... 19

(ii)Integration with the Toowong Centre.................................................. 23

Height.............................................................................................................. 25

Bulk and scale.................................................................................................. 31

Building separation.......................................................................................... 34

Setbacks........................................................................................................... 39

Infrastructure................................................................................................... 40

Heritage............................................................................................................ 42

(i)Introduction....................................................................................... 42

(ii)Mapping............................................................................................. 46

(iii)Statement of significance.................................................................. 47

(iv)Areas of contention........................................................................... 50

(v)Witnesses and their credit/experience............................................... 50

(vi)Damage to Middenbury.................................................................... 51

(vii)Damage to the fig trees...................................................................... 54

(viii)The setting of Middenbury................................................................ 55

(ix)Views to and from Middenbury........................................................ 58

(x)The proposed addition to Middenbury.............................................. 60

(xi)Compliance with heritage provisions................................................ 62

Traffic.............................................................................................................. 63

(i)Introduction....................................................................................... 63

(ii)Vehicular access from Coronation Drive.......................................... 64

(iii)The form of the access....................................................................... 68

(iv)Archer Street cycleway access.......................................................... 71

(v)Council’s bikeway planning.............................................................. 72

(vi)The cross-river bikeway.................................................................... 72

(vii)Carpark layout................................................................................... 73

(viii)Conclusion on traffic......................................................................... 74

Amenity........................................................................................................... 75

(i)Appellant’s property.......................................................................... 75

(ii)20 Archer Street................................................................................ 80

(iii)Traffic noise...................................................................................... 81

(iv)Wind.................................................................................................. 82

(v)Lay witnesses.................................................................................... 84

Economic and community need...................................................................... 85

Architecture, design, visual amenity and character......................................... 95

(i)Architectural quality........................................................................ 95

(ii)Landmark......................................................................................... 96

(iii)Sub-tropical design.......................................................................... 98

(iv)Tower over podium v tower-in-plaza............................................... 101

(v)Streetscape activation...................................................................... 102