Hutchie, Little Italy Resolve Brisbane Sound Stoush

The legal stoush over the approval of a 1001-apartment triple-tower project next to a Brisbane live music venue owned by one of Australia’s biggest private builders has ended. And it’s music to the ears of both sides. Developer Max Panettiere said the appeal against the go-ahead for Panettiere Developments’ $1.5-billion Little Italy mixed-use project at inner-city Newstead had been “amicably resolved and settled”. Earmarked for a 7440sq m site next to the Triffid, a popular 800-person venue with an outdoor beer garden at inner-city Newstead, the ambitious development was given the green light by Brisbane City Council in October last year. But an appeal against the approval was subsequently filed in the Planning and Environment Court by Scott Hutchinson, a crusading Brisbane music venue landlord and chairman of Hutchinson Builders, as well as former Powderfinger bassist and Queensland Night-Life Economy commissioner John Collins. The Triffid—a converted World War II era aircraft hangar—is one of a handful of live entertainment assets owned by Hutchinson and is operated in partnership with Collins. They argued the proposed development had been given the nod despite a “deficient” noise impact assessment. According to the documents, the duo deemed the proposal “does not provide adequate technical assessment nor design that will ensure the protection of the amenity of future residents from amplified music and in turn, achieve the outcome of the Fortitude Valley Neighbourhood Plan in protecting amplified music venues”. Fortitude Valley’s Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) was created by the Brisbane City Council in 2006 to “ensure the long-term future of the music-based entertainment industry…without exposing residents or businesses to unreasonable levels of amplified music noise”. It was extended to include the Triffid at nearby Newstead in 2017. As it turns out, Panettiere, Hutchinson and Collins have been singing from the same songsheet all along in a bid to come up with a harmonious outro to the Little Italy project’s looming big noise issues. “The resolution follows close collaboration between expert acoustic consultants representing the parties to the appeal and the Brisbane City Council,” Panettiere said in a statement. “Through the court planning process, soundproofing measures in ‘Building 1’ directly adjacent to the Triffid have been significantly enhanced, with acoustic treatment now increasing from level 4 to level 12 together with certain design layout changes to the residential apartments in that building. “We’re proud to have worked constructively with the Triffid representatives to find a solution that respects Brisbane’s vibrant music culture while allowing the proposed development to move forward.” In December, Hutchinson—who is also the patron of Queensland’s peak music body QMusic—told The Urban Developer: “I’d spend $10 million to defend it … that’s the other thing they should have thought about, I don’t care how much f***ing money I spend on the Triffid”. He was critical of how the application had slipped through the approval process without conditions to ensure sufficient acoustic treatment. “We lodged a submission but it still went through, so we had to appeal,” he said. “I don’t know what they were thinking … I mean, some units don’t get built with acoustic treatment but if you face a music venue you probably should think about it.” But Hutchinson also made it clear he did not want to stop the development going ahead. “This isn’t a big ‘us versus them’ or ‘live music versus developers’ thing ... that’s bullshit,” Hutchinson said. “All we’re wanting the developer to do next door is to make sure it’s all properly soundproofed so that we don’t have any chance of getting closed down. “Triffid is in a designated entertainment precinct but no matter how much protection that gives you the council will cave in if people ring up every night complaining and drive them crazy. So, you’ve got to get this stuff sorted out before it gets built. “And what we’re asking for is absolute chicken shit … basically it’s just a bit thicker glazing, a few extra millimeters. You’re talking a maximum $200,000 extra in a $1.5-billion development.” He got it. And according to Panettiere, although the resolution process has resulted in delays to the project, the development is now “progressing with renewed momentum”. ▲ The Triffid: “This isn’t a big ‘us versus them’ or ‘live music versus developers’ thing ... that’s bullshit,” owner Scott Hutchinson said. Stage one of the Little Italy project—the 335-apartment Oro tower—is due to be launched to the market within the next six weeks and demolition to clear the site is expected to begin in November. The amalgamated site—3km north-east of the CBD—spans 13 lots and has frontages to Longland, Stratton and Kyabra streets. The approved Bureau Proberts-designed scheme’s three towers—Oro, Bianco and Argento—will rise 29, 31 and 33 storeys. They will comprise 335, 343 and 323 apartments, respectively, in a mix of studio, one, two and three-bedroom unit sizes. Below them, a centrepiece piazza and laneways will be filled with Italian-flavoured retail, dining and entertainment offerings. Among 6124sq m of communal open space, podium and rooftop recreation terraces will feature pool decks, gyms, sauna and steam rooms, media rooms, kids playgrounds and games rooms, private dining rooms and co-working spaces. As well, parking for 649 cars and 1138 bicycles will be provided across the podium and three basement levels.

Residential
Phil Bartsch
Wed 14 May 25

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