Meriton has submitted a development application for two residential apartment skyscrapers rising to 70-storeys and 79-storeys high, with one reaching the maximum height limit of 274.23 metres allowed by the civil aviation safety authority (casa) for Brisbane’s CBD.
Brisbane City Council Approves Twin Meriton Towers in Alice Street
A development application by billionaire Harry Triguboff’s Meriton group for two residential towers at 204 Alice Street has been approved by Brisbane City Council. The towers, which are set to deliver over 1000 units, would replace the Gardens Apartments, a 45-year-old residential complex purchased by the developers.
The approval process has faced opposition, with representatives of the Sultan of Brunei, who owns the neighbouring Royal on the Park hotel, lodging a submission against the project. The submission raised concerns over the design of the Meriton towers and their potential impact on the surrounding precinct, calling for a master plan to guide future developments in the area.
Despite these objections, the council’s approval allows Meriton to proceed with their plans, while appeal rights remain available to the Sultan’s representatives. The submission also revealed the Sultan’s intention to redevelop his own site in the future.
Located at 204 Alice Street, Brisbane City, the proposed development is situated on a significant 5,485m2 site located directly opposite the Brisbane Botanic Gardens.
The site was reported to cost around $130+ million and required the buyout consolidation of 107 existing apartment owners of the 13-storey ‘The Gardens’ apartment building which would be demolished to make way for the dual-skyscrapers.
Mr Triguboff said it was a long process securing The Gardens, in which some sellers had been in place for more than 40 years.
It’s been difficult because there are so many owners – the buildings have 107 apartments. I’ve waited a long time to get the deal over the line but it’s been worth it – I now own the best site in Brisbane. Where else could you buy such a parcel of land with unimpeded views over the Botanic Gardens and across the river.
Harry Triguboff, Meriton
The developer said apartment prices were improving ‘and I like to buy in a rising market’.
I believe prices have been depressed for too long. They have to rise to reflect land and construction costs. Soon the Americans will stop raising interest rates and our guys will start dropping them. Buyers will have new confidence and our return to Brisbane will be well timed. I can sell them at prices people can afford.
Harry Triguboff, Meriton
The large site will accommodate two towers known in the DA as ‘Tower A’ (Alice Street facing tower), which is the taller one standing at 79-storeys and ‘Tower M’ (Margaret Street facing tower), the shorter tower standing at 70-storeys.
Designed by DBI architects, the project would accommodate short term hotel apartments as well as residential apartments for sale with a total apartment number of 1,057 apartments across both towers.
According to DBI, the development is set to become a “landmark Brisbane destination” and provides a visible presence on the skyline of the city. “The tower plates have been carefully shaped to maximise the amenity of future residents and visitors and provide generous balconies offering access to Brisbane’s outdoor lifestyle.”
A cross block link is planned for the ground level to allow public access from Margaret to Alice Streets. The newly created pedestrian arcade link would be flanked by five retail tenancies.
Level 6 of both towers is slated to house proposed residential amenities, including indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, sauna, and a gym. The landscaped outdoor area situated between the towers is intended to feature a barbecue area, lawn, and outdoor gym.
A 932m2 childcare centre is proposed on podium level 1, which would have an indoor/outdoor play area and separate elevator.
Project rundown
| Development Parameter | Proposed Development |
|---|---|
| Development Type: | Residential apartments and serviced apartments |
| Site Area: | 5,485m2 |
| Gross Floor Area (GFA): | Food and Drink Outlets/Shop (764m2 GFA) and Child Care Centre (449m2 GFA) |
| Height: | Tower A – 79 Storeys / RL 273,500m AHD [top of lift overrun] Tower M – 70 Storeys / RL 244,250m AHD [top of lift overrun] |
| Apartments: | Tower A – 544 Multiple Dwelling units [1,143 bedrooms], comprising: – 91 one-bedroom apartments [91 bedrooms] – 335 two-bedroom apartments [670 bedrooms] – 90 three-bedroom apartments [270 bedrooms] – 28 four-bedroom apartments [112 bedrooms] Tower M – 262 Short Term Accommodation units [387 bedrooms], comprising: – 168 one-bedroom apartments [168 bedrooms] – 63 two-bedroom apartments [126 bedrooms] – 31 three-bedroom apartments [93 bedrooms] 251 Multiple Dwelling units [456 bedrooms], comprising: – 89 one-bedroom apartments [89 bedrooms] – 123 two-bedroom apartments [246 bedrooms] – 35 three-bedroom apartments [105 bedrooms] – 4 four-bedroom apartments [16 bedrooms] |
| Elevators: | Tower A – 8 elevators (lift-to-unit ratio of 1:68) Tower M – 10 elevators (lift-to-unit ratio of 1:51.3) |
| Communal Space: | Pools, spas, saunas, gyms and outdoor bbq area, seating and outdoor gym on level 6 |
| Retail: | x5 ground floor retail tenancies |
| Car Parking: | x913 spaces total, comprising: – 800 residential spaces – 66 short term accommodation spaces – 41 residential visitor spaces – 4 food and drink outlet / shop spaces – 2 child care spaces |
| Bike Parking: | 1,252 spaces, comprising: 1,160 residential spaces and 92 visitor spaces |
| Developer: | Meriton |
| Architect: | DBI Architects |
| Landscape Design: | Urbis |
| Town Planner: | Urban Planning Services |
| Sustainability: | – There appears to be limited environmental and sustainable design initiatives in this project – A ‘sky terrace’ is planned for between the towers which would have some plantings and a 23m2 lawn – Some planter boxes planned for the lower podium level facades – Some rainwater harvesting planned – No provision for rooftop solar PV system – There is no recycling chute or dual waste diverter for Tower A which is larger than tower M, meaning residents would need to manually take recycling down to the refuse room. This doesn’t encourage building recycling and a recycling chute diverter or secondary chute is needed for this project. |
| Date Submitted: | 22/12/2023 |
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The rooftops of both towers is reserved for expansive private terraces for the three and four bedroom penthouses below.
The building is situated next to the new Kangaroo Point Green Bridge which is under construction. When completed, the bridge will provide direct access into Kangaroo Point from the CBD.
Meriton has recently completed it’s 76-floor Ocean development in Surfers Paradise last year and twin towers are underway in a project called Iconica also on the Gold Coast. Ocean has a similar design to these two new CBD towers which are yet to be named.
If approved, Meriton say they are likely to commence the 204 Alice Street project in the second half of 2024.
Landscape Plans
Plans
Plans-2Development 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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Do we really need these towers to be so high?
With so many people needing homes, these towers seem singular in usage, and for a thriving youth market that want high rise penthouse living.
So are we all ready for high rise living and the outcomes it will bring to Brisbane?
Yes we do because it an city if you don’t like go to the bush and live there people like you are the one who is letting Brisbane not to be come an world class city just a little country town every time there a development people like you would complain
A city doesn’t need a forest of concrete to be ‘world class’, the classiest cities in the world in fact keep their heritage buildings at street level. I think Brisbane’s classiest aspects are the plans to green up the streets, its pedestrian bridges, its plans to further embrace the river. I’m not anti development and I admire many of the tall buildings in the city, especially those with tropical landscaping and greenery in their atriums and terraces. Not so sure I like these towers looming over the Botanic gardens.
Rude and unedifying.
Meriton designs are so bland and boring it doesn’t add to the city design at all. The addition of units is good.
Maybe Meriton should focus on there exiting buildings before building new ones .. stayed at there building with dusty smelling curtains..a old lounge that stunk .. leaking toilet .. the kitchen kickbiard falls down when u turn on the dish washer .. pool area had zero shade .. so many other problems .. there surfers site is one of tallest .. with zero under ground parking ?? How did this pass council that the tallest building has no underground parking .. they use an adjacent block for parking ?? But we all no that when the time is right they will build another building on it .
Development for its own sake, growth for its own sake…where has that got the human race…LESS clean air, less clean water, less trees, but more money in the hands of the few. It’s not the proposals that are the problem, it’s the orientations of the “profit before people” model that is failing us. If we’re the creators then let’s create what’s good for us not what’s profitable for some.
They should go taller!
How is this bad for people? It’s relieving the housing shortage & adding retail while eliminating commuting.
It won’t relieve the housing/accommodation problem at all. There’s empty units in high rise buildings everywhere, because “property” is now a tradable commodity. “Property” purchase for many is a tax free investment, and also a good way to “clean up” money. So no, or won’t ease the accommodation shortage at all.
They can’t, CASA regulations cap the heights, Tower A is at the maximum height permitted
We have a housing supply crisis and the delivery of new stock is significantly constrained by (a) high cost of construction and third-party builders pivoting away from the residential sector (c) high finance costs and (c) labour supply shortages. Enter Meriton who operate their own construction company, is not dependent on finance and has a desire to start building NOW. Based on other projects it is also likely a majority of the 1000+ units in this development will be rented (not sold) which helps meet the need for rental accommodation in a well serviced neighbourhood with high amenity and transport accessibility. The local government is currently offering incentives for people to build and appears that Meriton is responding.
I was not being sarcastic. I love the idea of Brisbane having a beautiful skyline
Higher the better.Make Brisbane look like a real city of the world. Gives the city a feel of xcitement which in turn attracts people and trade.
They can go higher, they just need approval and a long, drawn out one at that.
They’re not attractive looking buildings – many of the higher units facing the morning sun and afternoon sun will be hard to sell or if they do sell they’ll be back on the market quickly because the heat from the sun is unbearable if you don’t screen it out – if you manage to screen it out then you are living in darkness for half of the day – so much for having a beautiful view… Skytower in Margaret Street is a perfect example of this… many people have lost a lot of money buying those ‘hot’ units…
SO BLOCK OUT THE RIVER, GREENSCAPE, BREEZES AND HAVE EVERYONE STARING INTO EACH OTHERS APARTMENT. GO TO MADRID, PARIS, LONDON, ETC – ALL WITH RESIDENTIAL CITY CENTRE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS TO MAINTAIN LIVABILITY. GO TO CHINA, SINGAPORE, HONG KONG AND ADMIRE THE BLOCK BOXES WITH NO CHARACTER – WHAT A GREAT WAY TO LIVE.
MONSTROUS 80 STORY BUILDINGS – JUST WHAT WE NEED.
Have you been to Singapore? The towers, yes built in the 70s and not modern, are spaced out. Singapore’s mantra is building a city in a garden (not a garden in the city). The greenscape in Singapore is better than any city I have seen in Australia. I think we should aspire to the Singapore development model. No housing shortage and a beautiful green city.
With Skytower directly opposite at 222 Margaret Street and it’s 1,400; apartments, can you imagine the traffic kaos with two more towers..
There will be barely any traffic produced by any of these towers because 90% of people who live in the CBD will also work in the CBD and 0% of these will drive
Should be finished before Olympic Games
Some observations:
1. This part of Brisbane CBD floods. Digging 5 levels of basement (instead of having everything above ground, like the Grosvenor building next door) is poor design. During the last floods the Skytower (across the road) had no lifts / access to their basement parking for many weeks.. just think about the access to high floor apartments via the fire escapes during this time..
2. Alice Street is one of the main peak hour exits from the CBD for traffic, and most days is already very congested. Presumably this new development will have car access via Alice Street – this will likely bank traffic back into the CBD causing congestion that affects the whole city, every day.
3. The size of these buildings is so out of proportion to the other high rises around the Botanical Garden and are visual eyesores. Can’t they make more of an effort to balance the aesthetics with the naked pursuit of profit?
4. These massive towers are infamous for their problems – you just need to speak to city beat cops to get an idea of the criminal activities that take place – too many transient visitors to control what goes on etc.
(1) Triguboff greed at its height!
(2) Meriton – a poor history of quality construction
(3) Boring architecture
(4) Invasive blight on Brisbane’s skyline
(5) Poor environmental sustainability wrap
Majority of the housing crisis is contributed by short stays accommodation as 251,000 homes listed for short stays/holiday homes where our shortfall is 107,000 homes by 2027.
So more convenient short stays available will make more landlords put their homes back in the normal rental market.
To achieve this, operators like Meriton will help. To fund the project, they need to sell some of the apartments within the property and keep some for short stays.
Of course, there are other ways to solve the problem such as new suburbs with motorway access and train stations etc. However, needs the Government to do something.
Over shadowing of the gardens? Any tests done by BCC to determine length of overshadowing during winter? Or is it just another case of “bigger is better”? Most buildings along Elizabeth Street (facing Hyde Park) in Sydney are built to maximum of 16 storeys with the top 3 stepped back (except for the building on corner of Elizabeth and Park street (built in the 70’s). Even a new 45 story apartment building at the far southern end of Hyde Park (Liverpool Street) was tested for over shadowing during winter solstice. C’mon Brisbane, be sensible about this.
I liked the Garden apartments. It kind of amused me to have brick apartment complexes in the middle of the CBD. No doubt those apartments had bigger floor plans than most of what is about to be built.
Meriton produces the equivalent of McDonald’s for skyscrapers.
From the street level, the podium and all the way up the tower, it is not very inspired. The design takes the same cues seen from the mass developments out in the suburbs that prioritise meeting a budget before any aesthetic standard.
This development is not worthy of gracing the CBD skyline.
It makes no sense that these towers should be as tall as planned on Alice Street. They have made no effort to be conscious of their surroundings and position. There isn’t even a porte-cochere here (like next door at Royal On The Park) that would help relieve the traffic.
This looks cool wow