A controversial $260 million 27-storey residential tower proposed for the fire-damaged Broadway Hotel site in Woolloongabba has been scrapped.
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Majella Property Developments lodged an application on March 13 last year with Brisbane City Council to build the tower.
The developer has scrapped its original plan but said it would now turn to the council for help to create a development the council would support*.
On July 11, 2010, a fire ripped through the heritage-listed property, causing extensive damage and subsequently the permanent closure of the hotel that was built between 1889 and 1890.
The building had been left vacant and deteriorating since the fire.
The development plans attracted criticism from residents just weeks after the documents were lodged, with concerns the development was too high and would not conserve the heritage aspects of the building.
City Plan 2014 stated an acceptable building height for the area was 20 storeys.
At pre-lodgement meetings held between Majella and the council in January and February 2015, the developer proposed 25 storeys, which the council said it did not support.
Despite the advice from the council, the developer increased the height of the building by two storeys, to 27, at the time of lodging the application. In January the council granted Majella permission to undertake “emergency works” as the site was unsecured and unsafe.
The council issued an information request to the developer on June 9, 2017, which outlined several concerns of the council including the building height, setbacks, heritage, roads and traffic, car parking and noise.
Majella had six months to respond to this request but made several requests to extend the time it had to respond to the council’s issues, which was granted with the latest extension expiring on July 9.
On July 4, a Majella Property Developments spokesman said it was working on providing a response to the council as requested.
The council received a letter on Monday from Taylor David Lawyers, who act for Majella Property Developments, which said the client wanted to withdraw the application.
“Majella withdraws from the application and is entering into and applying for the DesignSMART service and application process for this development application" the letter stated.
"The reason for this change in process is to ensure the best development outcome for all parties involved and to ensure a development of design significant is produced."
The DesignSMART service is a pre-lodgement service where the council would help a developer create a design supported by the industry and council.
The application Majella submitted in 2016 is no longer valid, and it would have to submit a new application to proceed with a development on the site.
A council spokesman said the request to withdraw followed the council's advice that it did not support the current proposal due to height and impacts to the building's heritage.
Meanwhile, Majella Group chief-executive Seb Monsour was arrested and charged over a $5 million fraud on June 21.
Mr Monsour was released on bail on June 22 after briefly facing Brisbane Magistrate’s Court.
The matter was adjourned until July 16.
*Clarification: Majella has intentions to seek support from Brisbane City Council's DesignSmart pre-lodgement service. The developer would have to submit a new development application for the site if it was to proceed with development plans. The first development application, with plans for the 27-storey tower, has been withdrawn.
