Retirement Facility Proposed for Historic St Francis College Site, Milton

A development application has been lodged by Aura Holdings for a retirement living project within the grounds of St Francis Theological College at 233 Milton Road, Milton. The proposal outlines three new residential buildings containing a total of 76 independent living units on a 3.83-hectare site that currently functions as a religious and educational campus.

The site is home to several heritage-listed structures including the 1868 Old Bishopsbourne residence and the 1912 Chapel of the Holy Spirit. These buildings are proposed to be retained, with new development designed around them to minimise impact and maintain view lines.

The proposal includes a mix of two and three-bedroom apartments, some with additional multipurpose rooms, across buildings ranging from four to six storeys. The project includes communal amenities such as a gym, library, pool, barbeque area, rooftop terraces and a firepit lounge. Shared-use spaces, such as function rooms, would be available to both residents and the broader parish and college community.

Over 13,000 square metres of deep planting is planned, alongside podium and rooftop landscaping. The site also includes 95 car parks, with access maintained through existing internal roads. No bike parking numbers were specified in the application.

Designed by Cox Architecture, with planning by Urbis and landscape design by JFP Urban Consultants, the proposal adopts a design strategy that prioritises integration with the site’s natural landscape and heritage context. The three new buildings are arranged around a central landscaped commons, with the built form carefully stepped and articulated to reduce visual bulk.

The design makes use of the existing hillside terrain to conceal basement parking, while setbacks and cranked alignments help retain mature trees, protect view corridors, and maintain a respectful relationship with nearby heritage buildings. A restrained material palette has been chosen to complement the surrounding environment, aiming to deliver a retirement living environment that feels embedded in its setting rather than imposed on it.

Project rundown

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Aura Holdings is the developer behind the proposed retirement living development at 233 Milton Road, Milton. Founded in Brisbane, Aura specialises in delivering boutique retirement communities across South East Queensland, with a focus on high-amenity, inner-urban sites. The company is known for projects that aim to integrate closely with their surrounding communities rather than adopting a gated model. Recent completed developments by Aura include The Atrium Lutwyche, Somerset Indooroopilly, and The Pavilion North Kirra.

The application has been lodged as code assessable and does not seek significant variations from current zoning or height provisions.

The retirement living proposal also comes at a time when the site is subject to an ongoing legal dispute between the Anglican Church and Lion, the operator of the neighbouring XXXX Brewery. The Church has lodged an appeal against Council’s earlier approval of Lion’s plans to install three ethanol storage tanks on the brewery site, raising concerns over proximity to existing educational and future residential buildings, including potential risks associated with ethanol vapours and explosion. The tanks are proposed to be situated within close range of the college’s library and other occupied structures.

Despite the legal challenge, the Anglican Church is continuing with plans to redevelop part of the college grounds in partnership with Aura Holdings. While the outcome of the ethanol tank appeal may influence aspects of the site’s future use, particularly around risk management and compatibility of adjacent land uses, the retirement development application is progressing independently through Council’s assessment process.

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