Public submissions have opened on a proposal to build three high-rise towers on the long-vacant former Woolworths site in Toowong, with residents, neighbours and local businesses invited to have their say until Monday, 8 December.
Read: Toowong Site Sold to Gold Coast Developer as Locals Watch for What Comes Next
The developer is seeking approval for towers ranging from 49 to 58 storeys—more than double the current height limit for the area—and has promoted the project as delivering 40 per cent public open space and 102 per cent green space across the site.
Elements of the Planned Development
The application, lodged by Verso Development Group and designed by Kerry Hill Architects with landscape input from PWP and Urbis, outlines the creation of “Toowong Central,” a 14,126-square-metre precinct bounded by Sherwood Road, Jephson Street, and High Street.
Central to the proposal (A006836692) are three residential towers rising to 58, 55 and 49 storeys. Together, they would deliver 1,104 apartments across one to four-bedroom layouts, including penthouses.
Each tower would feature “slot gardens” to break up the vertical form, contributing to a subtropical aesthetic. The proposed heights are more than double the 25 storeys permitted under the current Toowong–Auchenflower Neighbourhood Plan.
The development site, now largely vacant, sits directly opposite Toowong Village and the train station. It was previously home to one of the suburb’s earliest supermarkets — a standalone Woolworths that traded until 2017.
At podium level, Toowong Central is planned to host more than 12,000 square metres of retail and dining, anchored by a full-line supermarket, specialty shops, restaurants and cafes. Office tenancies are also proposed, reflecting demand for flexible workplace options in Brisbane’s inner west.
A strong focus has been placed on open space and community areas, with 4,500 square metres of landscaped gardens, rooftop terraces, recreation decks and pools for residents. Four major public spaces are planned, including Sherwood Plaza on Sherwood Road, High Street Park, a civic central plaza, and Jephson Terrace, which steps down to Jephson Street. These areas are designed for outdoor dining, water play, art installations and informal gatherings.
Community Concerns
However, concerns have been raised about the development. Greens MP Michael Berkman points out that while the DA breaches existing height limits, there is no commitment to affordable housing.
He argues that if Council allows towers above the planning cap, at least 25% of the new apartments should be dedicated as affordable homes. On the green space promises, the developers advertise 14,191 m² of “greenspace,” but Berkman calls this misleading.
Only 16.7% of the site would be genuinely public green space, with the rest made up of private gardens, planter boxes, and vertical green walls. He also notes that just 6% of the site is allocated for deep planting—below the 10% code minimum—describing the current approach as “greenwashing.”
Site and Location
Town planning firm Urbis, which prepared an assessment report for Toowong Central Investment Holding Pty Ltd, said the scheme made efficient use of the irregularly shaped block, which fronts three major streets. Landscape architects have described the precinct as an “urban forest” concept, drawing inspiration from Toowong’s history as a gathering place.
With direct access to Toowong Station and the Bicentennial Bikeway, the development aims to establish itself as both a residential hub and lifestyle destination.
Community members are being urged to make formal submissions outlining concerns about urban planning, public amenity and local character, particularly the lack of any public or affordable housing in the proposal, despite the scale of the development and the significant uplift being requested from Council.
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If approved, Toowong Central would be one of Brisbane’s most significant urban renewal projects, reshaping the suburb’s skyline and redefining its civic heart.
Published 19-October-2025
Updated 26-Nov-2025
