A new development application has been lodged to revitalise the retail precinct beneath the InterContinental Hotel at 185 and 195 Queen Street, Brisbane City.
Designed by Woods Bagot, the proposal reconfigures the existing retail areas beneath the hotel into two retail gallery floors, creating a more direct connection between Queen Street Mall and Elizabeth Street. The existing InterContinental Hotel would remain, with works focused primarily on the retail areas, porte cochere, building façades, pedestrian connections and associated servicing arrangements.
The proposal would reconfigure the existing retail areas into two defined retail gallery floors, improving connections between Queen Street and Elizabeth Street and increasing natural light and floor-to-ceiling heights. The existing InterContinental Hotel would remain, with minor internal and façade refurbishment works and a reconfigured porte cochere providing a new Elizabeth Street retail tenancy.
The Queen Street and Elizabeth Street façades would be refurbished, including the removal of existing butterfly screens and selected façade elements, while key existing materials and the Edward Street frontage would be retained. A new cross-block pedestrian link would connect Queen Street and Elizabeth Street, supported by new awnings along both streets
Development Details
8,296sqm site area
Revitalisation of the existing retail precinct beneath the InterContinental Hotel
Internal demolition and reconfiguration of existing retail levels
Creation of two retail gallery floors
New direct pedestrian connection between Queen Street Mall and Elizabeth Street
4,969sqm retail GFA
Retail floor space reduced by approximately 1,060sqm
New retail tenancy within part of the existing InterContinental Hotel porte cochere
Retail uses including:
Shop
Food and drink outlet
Office
Indoor sport and recreation
Service industry
Community use
Bar
65 car parking spaces
6 motorcycle spaces
No change to the existing InterContinental Hotel tower
No change to the number of hotel car parking levels
Reconfiguration of the hotel porte cochere
Removal of existing butterfly screens from Queen, Elizabeth and Edward Street façades
Restoration and improvement of existing façade elements
New and improved glazing
New awnings along Queen Street and Elizabeth Street
Improved pedestrian connections and public realm
The planners at Place Design Group state, “While the development decreases overall retail floor space, the proposed development aligns with the vision for a
walkable retail core with fine-grain, active frontages. The internal reconfiguration of the building allows the development to reset the levels of the site, which currently
create a convoluted layout within the building and require multiple stairs and escalators between Queen Street and Elizabeth Street due to the sloping of the site”.
“The development provides for a direct and level pedestrian link between Queen Street and Elizabeth Street, which promotes pedestrian permeability through the site and enhances the user experience of the space. This outcome reinforces Queen Street Mall as the high-amenity retail focus, by prioritising pedestrians through active edges and wide paths. The proposed development supports a revitalised precinct with a curated mix of retail uses that activate the streetscape and enhance the public realm, strengthening the mall’s retail role despite the reduced GFA”.
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Application Information and References
Date Lodged: 25 June 2026
Council Reference: A007057493
Address: 185 & 195 Queen Street, Brisbane City
Zoning: PC1 Principal Centre (City Centre) zone
Neighbourhood Plan: City Centre Neighbourhood Plan
Precinct: Retail Precinct (NPP-001)
Application: Place Design Group
Architectural Plans: Woods Bagot
Interactive Image: Google Aerial and Streetview.
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