Residents win the right to renovate their WWII-era homes

Residents living in WWII-era houses in Brisbane have kept the right to renovate their homes after Brisbane City Council reversed plans to add tougher heritage protections that would stymie them.

The heritage protections, which would restrict changes to interiors and preventing extensions, were proposed for 181 older homes in the War Workers Housing Estate community in Moorooka.

In July 2022, the houses were placed under the protection of Brisbane City Council guidelines – a temporary local planning instrument – while the council considered heritage protections.

Moorooka’s Chris Pickles is one of the residents delighted Brisbane City Council has changed its mind about adding tougher heritage protections that would prevent extensions and interior changes.

Character zoning already applied to the homes, meaning any application for major renovation up to demolition had to be brought to the council, but the owners of 142 of the homes did not support the tougher protections.

Residents were surveyed between May and June 2024 after Moorooka ward councillor Steve Griffiths impressed on council there was significant opposition to its plans.

Moorooka resident Brian Luckins said the value of his house dropped by 15 per cent as soon as the council announced the heritage protections.

While heritage protection will not go ahead for the Moorooka War Workers Housing Estate, character protection for the homes will persist.

“As residents we are not against the heritage concept, we were against the fact our properties were devalued by 15 per cent,” Luckins said.

He said his family wanted to add an extension to one side of their home to add a third bedroom and extend the back so they could have a small dining room.

“Our house is so small that we don’t have a dining room. We just sit at the kitchen bench for dinner.”

While those $10,000 plans were rejected by the council as it considered the temporary local planning instrument, the TLPI would expire on August 2, upon which time Luckins could renovate his home while abiding with character laws.

“The protections under the character overlay will protect the outside of the homes, but people should be able to do what they want to with the inside of their homes.”

Councillor Steve Griffiths

The chair of the city planning committee, Adam Allan, said the council would not proceed with its proposal.

“Residents have shared their views, so there will be no changes to the character protections over the homes in the former Moorooka War Workers Housing Estate.”

Griffiths said the homes were still protected.

“There is character protection, which is the outside of the home. Once you go to heritage protection it is a lot stricter,” he said.

“It is the outside of the house and a lot of the inside of the home, so it means to do any work you really have to go through a lot of scrutiny. And it was just unnecessary.

“The protections under the character overlay will protect the outside of the homes, but people should be able to do what they want to with the inside of their homes.”