Developers of the "champagne flute towers" on the old ABC site at Toowong plan to let traffic turn right across one of Brisbane's busiest roads where there is currently a "left turn only" sign.
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The Grace on Coronation development will accommodate 635 vehicles, raising concerns of major traffic headaches on Benson Road, near Toowong Village, which carries 55,000 vehicles to and from the University of Queensland each day.
Archer Street at Toowong – right beside the former ABC site – is now a "turn-left only" onto Benson Road, which runs off Coronation Drive.
Developer Sunland plans three futuristic towers with 494 units at the riverside site, much of which will become a mix of public and private open space.
The Grace on Coronation development has 566 resident car parks and an additional 69 visitor and temporary car parks on basement level one.
It proposes three towers between 22 and 25 storeys in an area of Toowong where 15 storeys is the maximum allowable height.
However the development application points out the size of the block could accommodate five 15-storey buildings, or a total of 75 storeys, while the project proposes 69 storeys over three towers.
The company is arguing for major changes to Benson Road.
The road is also divided by concrete barriers into two sections: one running into the city past Toowong Village, while the outbound section runs from Coronation Drive towards the University of Queensland.
However planning documents lodged with Brisbane City Council – and now being debated by council's planning west development team - show Sunland would like to have traffic turn right towards the city from Archer Street.
There would be two proposed accesses to the Grace on Coronation development from Coronation Drive to the old ABC site, documents show.
"Vehicles will be able to access the development via a 30m slip lane along Coronation Drive," the planning documents show.
"Access to Coronation Drive will be limited to 'left in and left out' only.
"A second access will be available from Archer Street, with 'all turns' movement.
"Both access points will have 6.2m wide driveway and crossovers."
Sunland managing director Sahba Abedian said the 'all-turns' option from Archer Street was only one preliminary option that was being discussed with council.
"As part of the planning process we are currently looking at several different options and will continue to work with council to identify a solution that provides a positive outcome not only for the immediate area, but the broader community as well," he said.
He said the close link to Toowong train station and the bus routes would encourage residents to use public transport.
"The proposed development is located directly opposite Toowong Rail Station and only a five minute walk to the Toowong Bus Terminal and Regatta CityCat Terminal, making public transport an ideal option for future residents," he said.
Council regards Benson Street at Toowong as an arterial road and the main route between the city, Toowong and the University of Queensland.
Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment chairman Amanda Cooper said Sunland's application was in preliminary stages of assessment.
"Traffic impacts will be a very significant part of Council's assessment of this development application and it would be premature to pre-empt that assessment," Cr Cooper said.
She did not clarify this issue when asked if council would let traffic turn right towards the city from the Sunland development.
Meanwhile Sunland's documents show - for the first time – the added features to Middenbury, the 1865 heritage-listed home on the former ABC site, making it a function area.
Middenbury has a verandah around three-sides and looks over the Brisbane River towards West End. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in January 2014.
Sunland plans to remove the 1960s additions to the 1865 building, and add a contemporary "covering" of the verandahs to provide a new public venue which opens to the gardens and the river.
The Grace on Coronation development was lodged with council last month.
It also includes an extension of the Bicentennial Bikeway, the report says.
The proposal includes a substantial road widening to facilitate the extension of the Bicentennial Bikeway along the Coronation Drive frontage, across the corner of the site and into Archer Street, consistent with the prelodgement advice from "the transport and traffic strategic team".
