Brisbane townhouse and apartment ban moves forward

COUNCIL will take the first steps towards banning townhouses and apartments in parts of suburban Brisbane as part of its plan to protect the city’s character. But the Opposition says only a tiny number of applications will fall under the changes.

A BAN on townhouses meant to protect Brisbane backyards will take its first steps to being part of the Brisbane City Plan just three months after the changes were proposed.

Brisbane City Council will today debate and vote on a motion to prepare an amendment for the City Plan to stop townhouses and apartments being built in areas zoned for single homes.

Any amendment to the City Plan can take up to 18 months from start to adoption into the City Plan, and once a draft is prepared it will go out to the community for consultation.

At the moment, townhouses and apartments can be built in low density residential areas if they are on sites 3000 sqm or larger.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk introduced a raft of changes to the city’s planning laws in June. Picture: AAP/Glenn Hunt

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk promised the ban in June as one of 40 “actions” in the Brisbane’s Future Blueprint document, created as a response to feedback from the Plan Your Brisbane process.

The townhouse ban was criticised by urban planning lobbyists for being “too little, too late”, while the Property Council Queensland said it could inflate house prices.

City Planning Committee chairman Matthew Bourke said protecting the Brisbane backyard was one of the “key messages” the council had taken on board from Plan Your Brisbane.

“The changes put forward today will put a stop to townhouses and apartments being built in areas for single homes, instead allowing them only on appropriately zoned land such as medium density zoning,” he said.

Opposition city planning spokesman Jared Cassidy said only 3 per cent of the city’s multiple dwelling applications are in low density zones. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

He said the provision currently related to single lots of 3000 sqm and where lots have been amalgamated to create a site that is 3000 sqm or larger.

“While we know more than 1300 people will be moving to Brisbane each month and an additional 188,000 homes are needed by 2041, we need to ensure this growth happens in the appropriate locations,” he said.

Opposition city planning spokesman Jared Cassidy said that “in reality” very few back yards would be saved by this change to the City Plan.

“The only thing the LNP are trying to save is their own political skin,” Cr Cassidy said.

“We know that only 3 per cent of multiple dwelling development applications are in the low density residential zone across Brisbane.

“This means 97 per cent of unit and townhouse developments will continue under this policy.”

Cr Nicole Johnston moved to extend the townhouse and apartment band to character residential zones. Picture: AAP/Ric Frearson

Independent Cr Nicole Johnston moved a motion for the townhouse ban to also apply in character residential zones.

She said her proposal would stop the citywide practise of pre-1946 and pre-1911 homes being shoved to the front of blocks and their backyards carved up for units.

“We need to make sure this LM is not known for the destruction of our character,” she said.

Labor supported her amendment, as did Greens Cr Jonathan Sri (The Gabba).

Cr Sri said he wanted to see debate on the issue even though he supported the concept of infill housing to increase density in the inner city in some circumstances.

What he did not support, he said, were “sh---y developments” that did not have adequate setbacks, were too high and took up too much of the site.

After being admonished by the council chair, he withdrew the word “sh---y” and said he would use the term “crappy developments” instead.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said Blueprint did not flag changes to infill housing in character residential and he would not include it in this amendment.

“People need the opportunity to have their say because it affects, quite clearly, their property values,” he said.