Qld govt intervenes over Brisbane City Council’s Kurilpa precinct plan over adequate affordable housing

Brisbane City Council has returned fire to the Palaszczuk government’s insistence that it will stop a big residential development proposal if it doesn’t include certain elements, including more expensive carparking.

The Kurilpa Riverfront Renewal precinct West End draft master plan.

The Palaszczuk government has delivered a warning to Brisbane City Council, declaring it will block a major residential development proposal if it fails to include adequate social and affordable housing.

The remarkable intervention also called on the council to make parking more expensive in the latest clash with local leaders as the government continues to pressure councils to increase supply amid the housing crisis.

But council hit back on Monday night, saying it was confident that its plan already met government requirements and hoped the government would not tie the project up in red tape.

The Lord Mayor’s proposal is expected to go before council on Tuesday for approval before a formal change to the City Plan is later submitted.

The Kurilpa Riverfront Renewal precinct West End draft master plan.

In the letter from Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon sent to Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner on Monday, seen by The Courier-Mail, she said the government would need to approve planning for the future developments in the Kurilpa precinct.

Mr Schrinner has previously said the council’s plan to push for extra height limits for developments in the city is intended to increase housing diversity and improve affordability.

But Ms Scanlon reminded council the state government has powers to block the proposal given any strategic planning instrument for the precinct will ultimately need to be submitted to the Queensland government’s planning department.

It is the latest intervention from the Palaszczuk government that declares councils are responsible for increasing density to improve housing supply.

“The state will, therefore, need to be satisfied that matters of interest to the state are being upheld by the proposal and, in particular, that any new housing supply includes adequate social and affordable outcomes,” she wrote.

The newly appointed Housing Minister said the plan needs to “demonstrate housing affordability as a component of new supply”, and urged the council to include various affordable options to assist in easing the crisis such as a build to rent scheme.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

Ms Scanlon also pushed for the council to include a provision for carparking rates to be more substantial.

“Given the significant public transport provision and strategic location of the precinct in the inner city, outcomes will need to reduce reliance on private motor vehicles and incentivise active and public transport (including appropriate carparking rates),” she said.

In response, a council spokesman said the proposal would provide suitable solutions raised by the minister while imploring the government to do its part in addressing the crisis.

“We’re confident our Kurilpa plan already meets the state government’s requirements,” the spokesman said.

“It’s critical that further state government red tape isn’t allowed to stop new homes being built in a housing crisis.”

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. Picture David Clark

Ms Scanlon did, however, applaud the Brisbane council for the sustainability and green space components of the Kurilpa proposal, which will include riverside parkland.

“I note general support for what I understand to be a focus on greener urban outcomes in the area and uplift associated with exemplar green building standards and the provision of more open space in any council-led planning in the area,” she wrote.

The intervention comes after Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Steven Miles pulled the trigger and took control of the Redland City Council’s housing strategy in September citing the council’s inability to adequately provide ample housing to residents.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams was blindsided and infuriated by the extraordinary move.