Last drinks for the beer garden: 51-storey tower planned for Victory Hotel

2 months ago 17

The owners of Brisbane’s historic Victory Hotel are planning a slender 51-storey tower for its famous beer garden.

Precision Group’s development application for the major new hotel tower, handed to Brisbane City Council just before Christmas but published on Wednesday, has sought approval for a 284‑room hotel tower behind and above the long‑running pub.

The application came two months after Precision sought permission to temporarily convert the existing beer garden into a gaming room, which would have been relocated from within the hotel to allow internal construction to take place.

Precision Group is planning a new tower behind the Victory Hotel in Brisbane

At that point, Precision’s plan was to rebuild a beer garden at the site, once the hotel refurbishment was complete.

But the new plans show a major development that would consign the expansive street-level beer garden to history.

The tower would be located on the north‑east portion of the 924‑square‑metre site and incorporate a “reverse/negative space podium” designed to preserve the prominence of the pub at the intersection of Edward and Charlotte streets.

Last October, Brisbane 2032 president Andrew Liveris said a shortfall of hotel accommodation in Brisbane was one of the things that kept him up at night.

Precision Group founder Shaun Bonett said their proposal would help in that regard.

“In the lead-up to the Games, there is a growing need for new accommodation offerings, in particular those that can capitalise on well-connected, under-utilised infill sites within the city,” he said.

“We’ve drawn on the look and feel of the much-loved Victory Hotel to create what is ultimately a unique and contemporary urban landmark – one that supports Brisbane’s evolving tourism infrastructure ahead of the Games while still celebrating the site’s historic roots.”

The Victory Hotel has operated on the site since 1855 and is listed on Brisbane’s local heritage register. No additional demolition or alterations were proposed to the hotel, beyond what had already been approved in a separate development application in November 2024.

The new Victory Tower would include a rooptop bar.

Bonnet said the new development would be a “natural evolution” of the Victory’s refurbishment.

“[It adds] new layers [of] hospitality and other mixed-use offerings around the existing building and forming an elevated destination that extends the hospitality aspect of the pub vertically,” he said.

Under the proposal, lower levels of the new building would wrap around the existing pub structure, with higher levels cantilevered above from level six upwards.

The development would include hotel rooms, bars and dining venues, a gym, function spaces, wellness facilities, and multiple rooftop areas – including a bar on level 50.

The tower would be built over the existing Charlotte Street-facing beer garden.

Bar spaces at level three would connect to the Victory Hotel’s new rooftop bar, a restaurant across levels four and 4½, and gym facilities on level five. A pool deck and day spa were proposed for level 38.

The tower would rise to 206.6 metres and cover about 50.3 per cent of the site – above the 45 per cent allowed in the City Centre Neighbourhood Plan. As a result, the application was subject to impact assessment and would be open to public submissions.

An assessment report prepared by Sinclair Planning, and submitted to the council on Precision Group’s behalf, argues the increased scale is justified by the building’s narrow footprint, deep setbacks to Edward Street, and its design response to surrounding heritage buildings, including the state‑listed Metro Arts building next door.

“With the proposed tower located in the rear corner of the lot, the views to the Victory Hotel are not impaired; its main facades facing Charlotte and Edward streets are not impacted by the tower works,” heritage architect Ruth Woods says in a heritage report submitted to the council.

The report further states the proposal would not compromise views, light or air to adjacent heritage buildings.

“Light, air and views to the Metro Arts side facade are retained,” Woods says.

No onsite car parking was proposed, with the application citing the site’s proximity to Central Station, Cross River Rail’s Albert Street station, major bus corridors and cycling infrastructure.

Sinclair said the tower would support the continued operation and long‑term viability of the Victory Hotel and contribute to Brisbane’s tourism and nighttime economy.

“The proposed development complements the historic Victory Hotel and facilitates shared spaces that will ensure the successful adaptation and continued use of the hotel,” Sinclair says.

Pending development approval, the Victory Tower is planned for completion before 2032, with the approved pub refurbishment work set to start in the second quarter of 2026.

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