A significant development application has been lodged that could see a retirement village featuring 76 independent living units established within the grounds of the historically significant St Francis Theological College in Milton.
The proposal by Aura Holdings outlines plans for three new residential buildings on the expansive 3.83-hectare site, which currently serves as a religious and educational campus.
Development Details
The submitted plans detail the retention of several heritage-listed buildings on the site, most notably the Old Bishopsbourne residence, dating back to 1868, and the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, built in 1912. The new buildings, ranging from four to six storeys, have been designed to minimise their visual impact on these historical structures and to preserve important sight lines across the property.
The proposed living spaces will include a mix of two- and three-bedroom apartments, some featuring additional multipurpose rooms. Residents can access various communal facilities, such as a gymnasium, library, swimming pool, barbeque area, rooftop terraces, and a firepit lounge. Furthermore, shared function rooms are intended to be available for use by both the future residents and the existing parish and college community.
Landscape design is a key component of the proposal, with over 13,000 square metres dedicated to deep planting and landscaping on podiums and rooftops. The plans also include provisions for 95 car parking spaces, with access to be maintained via the current internal road network.
The application did not specify the number of bicycle parking spaces included in the design. Cox Architecture is responsible for the architectural design, with Urbis handling the planning aspects and JFP Urban Consultants overseeing the landscape design. The overall design strategy aims to seamlessly integrate the new buildings with the site’s existing natural landscape and historical context.
The arrangement of the three new buildings around a central landscaped common, along with varied building heights and forms, is intended to reduce the development’s perceived size. The design also takes advantage of the land’s natural slope to conceal basement parking.
Setbacks and carefully considered building alignments aim to preserve mature trees, protect important views, and maintain a respectful distance from the nearby heritage buildings. The selection of building materials is intended to complement the surrounding environment, creating a retirement living space that feels integrated into its setting.
Developer Background and Planning Process
Aura Holdings, the Brisbane-based developer behind this proposal, specialises in creating boutique retirement communities throughout South East Queensland, focusing on amenity-rich, inner-city locations. The company has a track record of developing projects that aim to connect with their local communities, rather than adopting a more isolated, gated community model.
Their previous projects include The Atrium Lutwyche, Somerset Indooroopilly, and The Pavilion North Kirra. The development application for the Milton site has been lodged as code assessable, indicating that it generally complies with current zoning and height regulations and is not seeking significant deviations.
Context of Legal Dispute
This development proposal comes as the St Francis Theological College site is involved in a legal dispute between the Anglican Church and Lion, the operator of the adjacent XXX Brewery. The Church has appealed the Council’s prior approval of Lion’s plans to install three ethanol storage tanks on their brewery site.
The Church has raised concerns about the proximity of these tanks to existing educational buildings and future residential developments on the college grounds, citing potential risks associated with ethanol vapours and the possibility of explosions. The proposed location of the tanks is near the college’s library and other occupied buildings. Despite this ongoing legal challenge, the Anglican Church is moving forward with its plans to redevelop a portion of the college grounds in partnership with Aura Holdings.
While the outcome of the appeal regarding the ethanol tanks could influence future land use considerations on the site, particularly concerning risk management and the compatibility of neighbouring land uses, the retirement development application is currently being assessed independently by Council.
Published Date 15-May-2025
