Queensland billionaire John Van Lieshout has been given the green light for a mixed-use project that would be a stepped development of “tall tower blocks” in Brisbane’s inner-city West End.

The approved plans call for a 103-apartment tower rising 18 storeys above an inverted podium.

The development, to be known as Bank and Mollison, has an area of ​​2,074 sq m and will consist of four plots at Mollison Streets 15–17 and Bank Streets 35–39.

Unison Projects, a real estate development and investment company owned by the founder of the Super A-Mart furniture discount chain, submitted the application for the development in April last year.

The project was initially approved by the Brisbane City Council in March this year, but an appeal against that decision was brought before the Planning and Environment Court.

It was argued that the “inappropriate and unacceptable height, form and scale” of the proposals would adversely affect the built character and residential attractiveness of the area.

In July, however, the appeal was withdrawn and the proceedings were discontinued, which paved the way for the application to be implemented.

According to planning documents, Rothelowman’s scheme envisages a “gradation of building heights (from 18 to 14 storeys, then up to 10 storeys) which creates a transition from higher development to the north and east to lower development to the south and west”.

“The tower is a distinctly designed collection of separate towers connected by a green lattice, interwoven with the landscape,” the architectural statement reads. “The lowest level of apartments has been raised to create a large, subtropical, light-filled park for the public.”

▲ Visualisations of the approved design for the West End stepped “towerettes”.

The 700m2 landscaped open space at ground level has been designed “to attract people to the facility and enable them to move freely” with a multi-functional retail, commercial or social lease area, as well as a food and beverage outlet.

In addition to some design changes made at the application stage, the mix of housing types has also been redesigned to provide “greater variety and affordability” with the addition of one-bedroom apartments.

In total, the complex will feature 6 one-room, 20 two-room and 76 three-room apartments, as well as one four-room apartment, on floors 2 to 18.

The 902 sq m of shared recreational space will be spread over four levels (including a rooftop terrace) and will include an outdoor gym, a wellness lawn, a swimming pool, steam and sauna rooms, and outdoor dining and lounge areas.

Parking for 193 cars and 129 bicycles is planned on four underground floors.

20 Walsh Street, Milton

Meanwhile, Hong Kong-based developer GH Properties has received approval to go ahead with its revised plans to build two rental towers across the Brisbane River in nearby Milton.

The new application for the 2,343sq m site at 20 Walsh Street was submitted in October last year – four years after work on another scheme involving two towers and 286 apartments for sale was halted.

Under revised plans by design firm Jackson Teece, the proposed development would include 349 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments over 24 floors.

▲ Renderings of the approved project for the construction of two rental towers in Milton.

Five underground levels will provide parking for 283 cars.

According to the application, the two towers will be separated and connected by a green bridge, which will alternate between rooftop gardens.

“The construction of the towers is high above the natural ground level, which provides excellent visibility and ground plane activity,” we read in the release.

“Taken together, the building’s designed bridges will create a vertical green garden, softening the towers and the surrounding urban environment.”

The project will also include a separate health zone, as well as a co-working area, creative zone, rooftop lounges, a walking loop and entertainment spaces, a gym and a swimming pool.