Vacant lot plans head to council

A VACANT block of land on one of Toowoomba’s busiest streets could become the site of a triple tenancy shop/showroom development.

Motif Properties, through its town planner Property Projects Australia Pty Ltd, has submitted plans to Toowoomba Regional Council to develop the vacant lot at 148 James St, which sits next to Toowoomba Holden and across the road from St Patrick’s Cathedral.

According to the development application, lodged this week, the 7119 sqm block will be redeveloped, with three tenancies to be constructed on site.

The first tenancy will total 912 sqm, the second 1104 sqm, and the third 140 sqm.

The DA indicated the redevelopment will include 407 sqm of landscaping, a loading/ unloading area servicing all three tenancies to the site’s south, a refuse storage enclosure, and 75 carparking spaces including two spots for people with disabilities.

Documents lodged with Toowoomba Regional Council propose the tenancies will operate between the hours of 6am and 7pm.

In terms of the building’s design, plans say it will be one storey, or 9.5m above ground level, and will be oriented towards James and Neil Sts.

“The proposed development will feature a variety of materials, finishes, and colours, including the use of metal powder coated blade treatments, glass fenestration, and texture coasted precast panels,” the documents said.

“A variety of colours will be used to accentuate the various components of the building.

“A large mural will be applied to the rear wall of the proposed development that will interact with the adjacent parkland, and textured panels will be applied which replicate the texture of the significant bunya pines on Neil Stt.

“These measures ensure a design which is contextually responsive by celebrating key features of its environment.”

The proposal has been designed to ensure two large bunya pines on the Neil St side of the property are not removed, “and that the viability of these trees is not compromised”.

A left-in, left-out vehicle access is proposed on James St, while two multi-direction accesses are proposed on Neil St frontage.