Self Storage Big Guns Draw Battlelines in SE Queensland

With an extra 2.2 million people expected to call it home within the next two decades, the big guns of Australia’s multibillion-dollar self-storage sector are accelerating their expansion plans across south-east Queensland.

The likes of Storage King, National Storage and StoreLocal are continuing to stake their claims and bolster the gross floor area of their portfolios by establishing multi-level facilities in key growth areas.

Rapidly expanding StoreLocal has filed plans for a four-storey self-storage facility, which will replace the longstanding headquarters of Gold Coast bakery group Goldsteins at 509 Olsen Avenue, Southport.

Under its plans, the facility would comprise a gross floor area of 11,192sq m accommodating 773 storage units. It would include 32 carparking spaces. 

The self-storage development would replace an existing 1400sq m building on the 5537sq m site, which has been the head office, factory outlet and distribution centre for Goldsteins for more than 26 years.

StoreLocal has shifted its expansion strategy up a gear since securing a $100-million equity capital partnership with Swiss-based investor Partners Group in 2022.

It is aiming to more than double the number of its facilities during the next few years and is on track to have a national portfolio of 40 properties by 2023-24.

Meanwhile, National Storage has lodged redevelopment plans for its facility on a 9589sq m site at 631 Mains Road, Macgregor, 13km south-east of the Brisbane CBD.

▲ A render of the proposed four-storey StoreLocal facility at Olsen Avenue, Southport.

The existing part-one and part-two storey complex would be demolished to make way for a new three-level facility comprising a gross floor area of 20,379sq m and 19 carparking spaces.

“The current intensity of built form and operation of this existing centre is at present an underutilisation of this land,” a submitted town planning report said.

An accompanying architectural design by HAL Architects said the bulk and scale of the warehouse building would be “actively reduced through considered design techniques”. 

“The building adopts a variety of construction materials and colours to ensure clarity between different floor levels are established and that the building envelopes are broken into a series of smaller façade design elements to establish visual interest,” it said.

“The architectural aspirations for the proposal are focused towards providing a vibrant and contemporary warehouse building.”