First look: Bakery Square precinct to breathe new life into Brisbane's Kedron

Kedron is the latest Brisbane suburb in-line for a large, mixed-use new precinct that will reshape the suburb.

George Weston Foods Limited, one of Australia and New Zealand's largest food manufacturers, has filed plans for a 3.6-hectare mixed-use precinct dubbed in the planning application as Bakery Square.

The proposal marks the first formal step in the long-anticipated transition of the former Top Taste factory site at 466–488 Gympie Road.

The application seeks preliminary approval via a variation request to facilitate a future urban renewal precinct comprising residential, commercial, retail, and community uses alongside new public open space.

According to the Town Planning Report by Urbis, the intent is to repurpose a strategically located parcel of low-impact industrial land into a connected, amenity-rich, medium-density lifestyle destination. The development would front one of Brisbane’s busiest public transport corridors and adjoin Bradbury Park, a 6.5-hectare green space.

The proposal seeks to align with emerging policy directions under Brisbane: Our Productive City and the Brisbane Sustainable Growth Strategy, both of which identify the need to unlock “transition sites” for housing supply.

“The timely conversion of the site’s former industrial land will contribute to the supply of much-needed housing, especially within Brisbane’s core residential corridors," the assessment report noted.

The precinct planning covers approximately 36,405 square metres over two lots: 30 Glentanna Street and 474A Gympie Road, both currently zoned Low Impact Industry and within the Chermside Centre Neighbourhood Plan area. The proposal is subject to impact assessment and has been referred to the State Assessment and Referral Agency for review.

The submitted documents frame Bakery Square as a key opportunity site on Brisbane’s northside. The Urban Context and Master Plan Report identifies the precinct as a “critical location” for establishing a contemporary mixed-use environment, capable of delivering the kind of holistic placemaking seen in other major Brisbane redevelopment areas.

Four defining characteristics support the site’s transformation:

• Proximity to transport: Located along Gympie Road, the site benefits from existing high-frequency bus services and planned future upgrades under Brisbane Metro Stage 2 to Carseldine.
• Lifestyle potential: With access to Chermside, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and other employment nodes, the proposal aims to deliver a liveable, connected precinct.
• Co-location with green space: Bradbury Park offers an established recreation anchor, described as a “rare opportunity to co-locate high density living, a lifestyle precinct and open space.”
• Uncommon scale: The 3.6-hectare landholding is a rarity in Brisbane’s inner-northern suburbs, offering a blank canvas for integrated precinct planning.

Design evolution has been central to the application’s development. A height transition strategy has been proposed to mediate built form across the site and surrounding context. The tallest elements will be centrally located, stepping down toward Gympie Road, adjacent residential areas, and Bradbury Park. An “urban common” forms the heart of the site and integrates new public open space, pedestrian links, and activated edges.

“This is one of the most critical locations to establish a new mixed-use precinct with significant development uplift on the northside of Brisbane,” Urbis noted in the Urban Design Report.

“Bakery Square can provide the housing, amenity, and local character expected of a modern, infill lifestyle precinct”.

The built form strategy anticipates mid-rise development consistent with the emerging character of Gympie Road. According to the variation document, the maximum height sought is 10 storeys (approx. 35m), though individual buildings and sub-precincts are expected to vary. The proposed code amendments would enable staged delivery across multiple sub-areas within the site, balancing residential intensity with commercial, retail, and urban services.

From a housing perspective, Bakery Square represents a significant potential boost to Brisbane’s infill supply. While the DA does not lock in a specific number of dwellings at this stage, planning documents suggest a strong emphasis on diverse housing typologies, including apartments and build-to-rent options.

The Town Planning Report notes that “the proposal enables a planning framework that will facilitate the eventual delivery of residential housing typologies to support emerging demographic needs” and directly respond to the housing supply targets identified in ShapingSEQ 2023.

George Weston Foods Limited, an ASX-listed entity and one of Australia’s largest food manufacturers, has owned and operated the site for over five decades. The former Top Taste baked goods factory ceased operations in 2020. Since then, the property has been used intermittently as a warehouse and for contractor works associated with the recent Gympie Road upgrade.

Surrounding the site, the local context is typified by a mix of medium-density residential, retail, and light industrial uses. Chermside Westfield, Prince Charles Hospital, and the Chermside Health Hub all lie within 1.5km, reinforcing the precinct’s strategic position. The area is also undergoing broader transition, with the Kedron Future Growth Node flagged for long-term renewal.