A minor change application has been lodged for the approved Brisbane Place commercial tower at 131 Edward Street, Brisbane City, proposing a taller overall building height, removal of a podium level and the introduction of additional wellness facilities within the 38 storey scheme.
The project, approved in June 2025, facilitates a new commercial office tower above the Exchange Hotel and adjoining heritage buildings within the Cathedral Precinct.
The minor change application does not alter the approved land uses of centre activities, bar and hotel, nor does it propose any additional demolition of heritage places. Instead, it refines the internal configuration, plant arrangement and upper level design of the tower.
Under the updated architectural plans, the tower’s overall height would increase 10m compared to the approved scheme. The previously endorsed design reached approximately RL 177.25 metres to rooftop plant, while the amended section drawings indicate a rooftop level of approximately RL 187.11 metres, with plant and mezzanine levels extending higher. The comparison material identifies a taller overall tower height as one of the primary amendments.
Project Rundown
| Development Parameter | Proposed Development |
|---|---|
| Address: | 131 Edward Street, Brisbane City |
| Development Type: | 38 storey Commercial Office Tower with Centre Activities, Bar and Hotel Uses |
| Site Area: | 5,070m² |
| Gross Floor Area (GFA): | Approximately 52,203m² (as per updated architectural schedule) |
| Height: | 38 storeys / approximately 187.11 metres to rooftop plant (increased from approved scheme) |
| Apartments: | Not applicable – Commercial Office Development |
| Elevators: | 14 elevators |
| Communal Space: | Recreational level with new wellness zone including gym and treatment spaces; End of Trip facilities; Wintergardens added to Levels 25, 29, 31, 33 and 35 |
| Retail: | Ground level centre activities including wine bar and tenancy spaces within heritage base |
| Car Parking: | Basement car park with connection to St Stephen’s Cathedral car park |
| Bike Parking: | 272 bike spaces (as shown on basement plan) |
| Developer: | JGL Properties / Brisbane Place Pty Ltd |
| Architect: | Blight Rayner |
| Landscape Design: | WILDStudio |
| Town Planner: | Urbis |
| Sustainability: | Rooftop Solar: Integrated within roof terrace structures Energy Efficiency: Targeting 5 Star Green Star and NABERS ratings Waste Management: On-site waste and recycling system, including separation facilities Water Conservation: Irrigated subtropical planting and water-sensitive design Green Landscaping: Rooftop gardens, vertical greenery, and shade trees Active Transport Facilities: End-of-trip facilities including showers and bike storage |
| Date Submitted: | 19 February 2026 |
| Assessment Level: | Minor Change Application |
| DA Application Link: | A006967573 (Minor Change) |
Approved & Proposed
The minor change also proposes removal of a previously approved podium level. In the original approval, the podium formed a transitional element between the retained heritage buildings and the mid rise portion of the new tower. The revised design consolidates this arrangement, resulting in a simplified vertical composition and a more continuous relationship between the heritage base and the commercial tower above.
Plant levels have been relocated within the lower portion of the tower, accompanied by a reconfigured core arrangement and structural adjustments. The amended building section shows additional plant introduced within the mid rise zone and changes to core alignment intended to optimise structural efficiency and floorplate planning.
The previously approved food and drink outlet associated with the terrace level has been removed from the scheme. In its place, the amended plans focus on office and tenant amenity uses within the upper levels.
A new wellness zone is proposed as part of the recreational level, incorporating gym and treatment spaces within the building. The updated drawings illustrate these facilities overlooking internal landscaped areas, expanding the end of trip and tenant amenity offering.
Wintergardens have also been introduced to Levels 25, 29, 31, 33 and 35. These recessed facade elements create sheltered breakout spaces and add articulation to the high rise tower form. In skyline comparison imagery, the amended facade presents a more vertically expressed upper section while maintaining the overall commercial character of the building.
Importantly, the minor change documentation confirms that no additional demolition of heritage places is proposed. The adaptive reuse of the Exchange Hotel and associated heritage fabric remains consistent with the existing approval, with changes focused primarily on the new tower element.
If approved, the revised Brisbane Place scheme would deliver a taller and internally reconfigured commercial tower at 131 Edward Street, incorporating enhanced wellness facilities, adjusted plant levels and a streamlined podium configuration within Brisbane’s Cathedral Precinct.
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The ceiling that pedestrians can see above the exchange hotel just copped a massive downgrade. Also the pillars don’t cross anymore. This feels like the developers are cheaping out on us. Will Brisbane always be second rate?
I would like to see a multi use tower combining office on the lower level and hotel on the upper levels. The Exchange could then become the food and beverage part of the hotel as well as being open to the public.
Honestly looks like someone has seen the bill and said “damn, can we reduce costs by 20%?”
The original application was far more architecturally meritorious.
Shame.
The changes are difficult to characterise as “minor.” The original scheme featured elegant rhomboid columns and a landscaped forecourt with lawn and palms between the tower and St Stephen’s Cathedral, providing valuable breathing space within the precinct. The redesign removes this green area entirely and replaces the refined column geometry with a dense internal field of pillars that diminishes spatial clarity and makes the foyer read more like a corridor than a gathering space. Together these changes represent a clear architectural downgrade.