Council’s growth strategy: Suburban shopping centre precincts ripe for housing blocks

New height limits could be introduced around Brisbane shopping centres and commercial areas as council tries to unlock suburban pockets ripe for delivering more housing supply. VOTE IN OUR POLL

New height limits could be introduced around six Brisbane shopping centres as the council launches a review to unlock more housing supply around the major precincts.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced the move on Thursday as part of a series of initiatives aimed at delivering thousands of new homes across Brisbane amid the ongoing housing crisis.

Other measures include introducing CBD-style height limits in the inner-south, incentivising build-to-rent developments, and expanding residential zones to include previously-used commercial areas.

Mr Schrinner revealed the council would review Carindale, Chermside, Garden City, Indooroopilly, Toombul, and Toowong shopping centre precincts to find new ways to unlock nearby housing.

This could include increasing building height limits so more apartments and units are constructed near the centres, where there are already significant public transport connections.

The Lord Mayor also confirmed build-to-rent developers would soon be able to pay their infrastructure charges over time, instead of with one big charge, in a bid to incentivise more projects.

A special unit that focuses entirely on build-to-rent projects will also be established in the council to fast-track the approval process.

“There are a significant number of sites across Brisbane ready for new multiple dwelling buildings however they are being held back by current market conditions,” Mr Schrinner said.

“By reducing the upfront costs, we can help facilitate build-to-rent projects that deliver much-needed rental properties to the market.”

Toombul shopping centre. Picture: Liam Kidston

Indooroopilly shopping centre.

The measures are included in a new plan called Brisbane’s Sustainable Growth Strategy, which Mr Schrinner says is about striking a balance between meeting housing demand and persevering character and green space.

The council is also pushing ahead with its suburban renewal precincts plan, which would see residential areas of Brisbane expanded into zones previously used for commercial or light industry use.

Planning and Suburban Renewal Chair Adam Allan said 70 hectares across 14 sites had been identified by the council as suitable for “mixed-use opportunities”.

This includes sites along Bonemill Road in Runcorn as well as on Gympie Road in Kedron.

“At these vibrant mixed-use sites, we will consider a range of housing choices, including townhouses, apartments and other housing solutions,” Mr Allan said.

“This will create more locations for housing while revitalising light industrial and commercial areas, making them more attractive to new residents and existing owners.”

The Courier-Mail revealed on Thursday that CBD-style height limits would also be introduced in the Kurilpa precinct of South Brisbane.

The council believes the move will create 10,000 new dwellings in the precinct, with the measure to pave the way for buildings to soar up to the 274m aviation safety height limit.

The planning shake up will pave the way for apartment buildings in the inner-south to be as tall as iconic CBD structures such as 1 William Street and the 270m Brisbane Skytower on Margaret Street.

The planning shake up will pave the way for apartment buildings in the inner-south to be as tall as iconic CBD structures such as 1 William Street.

The Lord Mayor said the introduction of the CBD-style height limits in the Kurilpa precinct would help address demand for housing, particularly for younger residents who wanted to live in that part of the inner-city.

“Our anti-sprawl approach to housing will guide growth towards this popular area, which is incredibly well serviced by transport and other public facilities, while protecting Brisbane’s green space and lifestyle,” he said.

“This strategy will create a thriving urban precinct around some of the key Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues, building on the state government’s plans between Woolloongabba and South Bank.”

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

To get the new height limits off the ground, the council will move to establish a temporary local planning instrument before they seek to finalise the details in the City Plan.

Not every proposed residential development in the precinct would be eligible to reach the 274m limit, and they would all still be subject to assessments that look at the size of blocks, setbacks, and designs.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles welcomed Mr Schrinner’s Kurilpa precinct announcement.

“The housing supply challenges we’re facing in Queensland can’t be tackled without everyone’s help, including council,” he said.

“These changes, along with our announcement to expand the Woolloongabba PDA ahead of the 2032 Games, will revitalise the south corner of the city.

“We will see more housing supply and diversity, a more walkable city and better transport connections.”