Plans for the prominent Toowong Central redevelopment have been placed on hold after the developer requested that Brisbane pause its assessment process to review community feedback and planning concerns.
Read: $1 Billion Toowong Central Precinct Proposed to Transform Inner West
The project, located at 47 High Street in Toowong, was scheduled to enter its public consultation phase on 4 November 2025. However, the developer, Toowong Central Investment Holding Pty Ltd, has been granted a stop period of up to 130 business days — a move that could push consultation into mid-2026.
The decision marks the latest delay for the long-vacant site, which has remained largely unused since the former Woolworths store was demolished several years ago.
A Landmark Proposal
The estimated $1 billion proposal would see three residential towers of 49, 55, and 58 storeys erected on the site, making them among Brisbane’s tallest residential buildings outside the CBD. The scale of the development has drawn intense community and planning attention.
Brisbane has stated the proposed heights are a departure from those anticipated by its City Plan. The Council also flagged further scrutiny of issues such as building setbacks and separation, traffic modelling, heritage impacts (including the former Carver & Co building), and deep-planting/landscaping.
Local residents submitted around 28 formal responses before the pause was requested. Common themes included concern over excessive car-parking provision, demand for increased public open space, improved active and public transport infrastructure, and worry that the project favours private benefit over community outcomes. Some submissions noted that height itself was less of an issue so long as infrastructure and public-benefit outcomes were strong.
Read: ‘Better Uses’ Than Parking at Toowong Central Site, Say Residents
Developer’s Pause Raises Questions
In October 2025, BCC took the rare step of ordering upfront public notification rather than issuing a standard further-information request, citing the proposal’s scale and the high level of community interest. The request for a stop period came only weeks later.
The stop period mechanism allows the developer to delay assessment for up to 130 business days, but the developer may elect to start public consultation earlier. If the full stop period is used, the Council indicates the notification window would commence on 12 May 2026 and run through to 19 May 2026.
State MP Michael Berkman said the delay reflects unresolved community concerns. “It’s frustrating to see this site continue to sit desolate and disused for even longer, but on the other hand, I think it’s quite telling that the developer doesn’t want to move to public consultation yet. No doubt they’ve realised that their proposal falls well short of community expectations. In my view, it’s a clear sign we can get a better offer.”
Berkman has called for any approval of the towers’ height to be conditional on at least 25 per cent of the homes being genuinely affordable, alongside better deep planting and public space outcomes. Meanwhile, social media commentary from the community has been mixed — some readers lament the delay amid a broader housing-supply shortage, others argue that scrutiny is justified given the project’s size.
What Happens Next
When the consultation phase opens, residents will be able to lodge formal submissions directly to BCC, which must consider this feedback before deciding whether to approve, refuse or require changes to the proposal.
While some members of the community hope the pause will lead to a revised scheme that better balances development ambition with Toowong’s character and liveability, others remain frustrated by the ongoing vacancy. For now, the empty block in the heart of Toowong continues to symbolise the suburb’s growth pressures and the ongoing debate about how Brisbane should evolve.
Published 6-November-2025
