Green Light for $850m Triple Tower Precinct at Brisbane’s Breakfast Creek

Let the urban transformation of inner-city Brisbane’s Newstead North begin. Jonathan Leishman’s Churchill Development Group has been given the nod for its $850-million-plus triple tower urban village proposal to be known as Breakfast Creek Quarter. It is among an ever-growing pipeline of precinct-defining developments in the River City ahead of the 2032 Olympics. “Watch this space—it’s an exciting time to be a Brisbanite,” Leishman tells The Urban Developer . “We believe there is plenty of inner-city Brisbane redevelopment to occur. “And while our business is invested in other cities and countries, the south-east Queensland region certainly is a primary focus.” Leishman says delivery plans for Breakfast Creek Quarter will be finalised during the next 12 to 24 months. “We’re running a marathon and not a sprint. We have quite a few irons in the fire at the moment.” To be delivered in two stages, the mixed-use project will rise from a 6778sq m site between a bend in the Brisbane River and the banks of Breakfast Creek, about 5km north-east of the Brisbane CBD. Overall, its trio of towers ranging from 24 to 29 storeys will comprise 735 studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments above a shared four-storey podium and two basement levels. ▲ A render of the triple-tower development greenlit for Breakfast Creek in the inner-north of Brisbane. Under the approved plans, the project—spanning 14 lots with frontages to Breakfast Creek Road as well as Durong and Ross streets—will accommodate build-to-sell and build-to-rent units. However, Leishman is remaining tight-lipped on the project’s silent build-to-rent partner. “Our partner remains undisclosed at this time,” is all he will say. Stage one of Breakfast Creek Quarter includes its 29-storey north tower accommodating 164 apartments. It is to be followed by the simultaneous construction of the 24-storey east and 28-storey west towers with a combined 571 units. Across the three towers, rooftop and podium-top communal open space—featuring amenities such pools, steam rooms, sun decks, outdoor kitchen and dining spaces, lawn areas, as well as access to dedicated work-from-home spaces—will be provided. On the lower levels, about 2000sq m of centre activities including retail, food and beverage, office, indoor sport and recreation and healthcare services is planned, along with 612 carparking spaces. Just down the road from the Breakfast Creek’s famed namesake pub and directly opposite the historic Newstead Park surrounding the city’s oldest home, the project is touted as “boldly Brisbane”. “Breakfast Creek Quarter represents more than just bricks and mortar,” according to the planning documents. “It encapsulates Brisbane’s unwavering commitment to sustainable growth and the creation of inclusive, diverse, and captivating precincts that define the city’s identity. “With subtropical design at its heart, delivery of well-designed apartments and the curation of a destination through place-based outcomes, it is the first of its kind in what undoubtedly will be the future direction of Newstead North and Albion.” ▲ Subtropical design at its heart: renders of the Breakfast Creek Quarter precinct. Designed by MAS Architecture Studio, the scheme “brings the canopy of Newstead Park into the site”. “With green streets and a landscaped laneway, subtropical spaces and sky gardens—Breakfast Creek Quarter is boldly Brisbane … the landscape embraces the outdoors, celebrates our climate and creates an urban village where the city meets the park,” the approved application says. “As a catalyst, it will breathe new life into Newstead North, transforming it into a pulsating mixed-use neighbourhood—a place where people can work, live, and visit. The design response for Breakfast Creek Quarter embodies the strategic direction of Brisbane’s inner city.” Other precinct-defining developments in the pipeline for Brisbane’s inner-city include: Panettiere Property Group’s $1.5-billion triple-tower Little Italy mixed-use development comprising 1001 apartments at inner-city Newstead A two-tower shoptop build-to-rent play by Woolworths’ Fabcot on the site of the former The Albion Flour Mill Kokoda Property’s $1.5-billion riverside Teneriffe Banks precinct Artemus Group’s next stage of the Howard Smith Wharves hospitality and entertainment precinct. The planning report for Breakfast Creek Quarter cites Brisbane’s exponential growth, with 275 new residents arriving each week—more than 30 per cent of whom are expected to reside in the city’s inner suburbs. “As the city grows, it will unlock opportunities for urban regeneration, reinforcing the role of the city centre and its surrounding area,” it says. ▲ It’s an exciting time to be a Brisbanite: renders of the approved Breakfast Creek Quarter by Jonathan Leishman’s Churchill Development Group. “With Brisbane’s projected population growth, housing supply in the right locations that provides choice, and affordability is key to overcoming the challenge. As part of a broader neighbourhood renewal precinct, Breakfast Creek Quarter will play a key part in its transformation. “This precinct would provide localised amenity for a growing neighbourhood and deliver lifestyle and entertainment destinations to support the growing inner north and future Albion precinct.” Project partner Brodie Lister says the ethos behind the proposed development is to provide a mix of residential while enhancing the evolving northern Breakfast Creek commercial precinct with a large amenity offering. “The project has been a response to the growing housing shortage in south-east Queensland,” he says. “This is a site that lends itself to an outcome which contributes to city-building and creating enduring outcomes for this part of town. “Aside from its position and spectacular views of the Brisbane River and city, the project’s design strength is its capacity to be delivered in stages and also into either the build-to-sell or build-to-rent markets.” Churchill Development Group acquired the sizeable undeveloped holding—between a flagship Mercedes Benz dealership and a Bunnings Warehouse—for $22.5-million in March, 2022. It has an existing approval in place for an eight-storey, mixed-use commercial tower. Lister says with leasing endeavours stifled by rising construction costs and the limited ability for the fringe office market to absorb A-Grade CBD rents, the decision was made to pursue a bigger vision that ultimately will realise the site’s full potential. “While we as developers think approvals could always be simpler and quicker, the city council’s planning team … should be commended for their rigour.” Pointing to industry frustration at another level, he adds: “The quicker the [state] government gets on with formal construction of not just Olympic investments but real enduring city-building investments such as hospitals, schools, transport infrastructure, and the obligatory public gathering spaces like stadiums, the Queensland construction market capacity can realign to cope with this workload. “But big cogs turn slowly,” Lister says. “Planning and foresight are everything and we are going to all benefit from a renewed Brisbane over the coming years.” You are currently experiencing The Urban Developer Plus (TUD+), our premium membership for property professionals. 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