Brisbane's most "Instagrammable venue" of cafes and bars, within stacked and brightly lit shipping containers on a vacant block in Fortitude Valley, has been given the green light.
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Brisbane City Council approved the Social Hub X Cargo development on a 1255-square-metre lot on McLachlan Street on Tuesday.
An assessment report submitted to the council in January as part of the application process said recycled shipping containers would be used to ensure the future redevelopment of the site and surrounding area was not hindered.
The new food destination resembles the city's popular Eat Street markets, but X Cargo director Aydan Sturgess said they were trying to steer away from the Eat Street idea.
"We wanted it to be a comprehensive venue so when you look at it, it's not a cut-and-paste job, there's uniformity to it and it's done well from every angle, every angle has been designed," he said.
"We have designed this to be the most Instagrammable venue in Queensland.
"There will be cactuses and pink neon, but we also want it to be quite classic and quite minimalist.
"The shipping containers were an obvious choice because of the versatility, you can dress them up or dress them down."
There will be at least 12 shipping containers on the site and stacked in a way to create several levels, so visitors can sit downstairs , or be standing on top of stacked shipping containers.
The venue will have rotating food trucks set up in the alley ways between the containers.
Mr Sturgess said the location meant X Cargo could be open from early in the morning for coffee to late in the night for cocktails.
"It's just out of The Valley to get that day time market, but also that late night entertainment precinct," he said.
The new hub would have a maximum capacity of 900 people and has approval, as per the development application, to operate from 6am to 5am, seven days a week.
The exact trading hours the venue intends to operate are yet to be confirmed
X Cargo is planned to open mid-to-late October.
The council's City Planning chairman Julian Simmonds council was supportive of the development as it would enhance Brisbane's vibrant lifestyle and leisure offerings.
"Ensuring minimal impacts on residents was a key priority during assessment, and council has required the developer installs noise-reduction measures such as screening, acoustic walls and solid roofing," Cr Simmonds said.
"We have seen the enormous success of Eat Street, and X Cargo will provide another unique attraction for Brisbane and another jolt of confidence in the leisure scene of our New World City."
