Opposition fears developers are swooping to beat unit ban

Labor councillors fear the council’s attempts to protect Brisbane’s backyards has opened the floodgate to developers trying to beat the ban on units in low density areas.

Concept plans for the style of units lodged for a low density area at Morningside.

LABOR councillors fear Brisbane City Council’s attempt to close a loophole allowing units in low density areas has opened the floodgates to developers trying to beat the ban.

Last month council moved to amend the City Plan which previously allowed townhouses and apartments to be built in low density residential areas if they are on sites 3000sqm or larger.

Councillor Kara Cook (Morningside) cited a recent development application lodged by Brotip Pty Ltd for 16 townhouses on two large house blocks in a low density area at 18-20 Pockley St, Morningside.

Another similar unit development has been recently lodged at 5 The Esplanade, Forest Lake.

Opposition planning spokesman Jared Cassidy moved an urgent motion today calling on council to protect the Brisbane backyard by implementing a Temporary Local Planning Instrument on all land zoned low density residential, preventing development of units until the amendments to City Plan are in force.

While Independent Councillor Nicole Johnston voted with Labor on the motion, LNP councillors and The Greens Jonathan Sri voted it down.

Cr Cook said on the face of it, the Pockley St plans were directly contrary to the council’s campaign of not allowing townhouses and units to take over Brisbane’s backyards.

“Under the plan, two post-war homes will be demolished to make way for the townhouses,” Cr Cook said.

“This is exactly the type of development that the Lord Mayor (Graham Quirk) has promised to stop.

“However, despite the Lord Mayor’s costly rhetoric about saving backyards, his City Plan still has loopholes that are open to developers.”

Cr Kara Cook has been pushing to protect suburban character.

City Planning Chairman Matthew Bourke said the only impediment from protecting low density areas from townhouses was the State Government’s sign-off of the City Plan amendments.

“These critical changes to City Plan have now been waiting for approval from the State Government for 48 days and counting,” Cr Bourke said.

“A Temporary Local Planning Instrument would be the same amendment in a different document, and still need the same approval, which is what we’re currently waiting on.

“If Labor Councillors share our dedication to making these changes quickly, they should be asking their State Labor colleagues sign off on these amendments so it can be progressed.”

Cr Cook said she had several concerns about the Pockley St proposal and had passed them onto the council.

“My residents have contacted me expressing concerns with this application. The people of Brisbane, do not want to see a flood of these types of development applications. The Lord Mayor needs to take urgent action to genuinely protect backyards,” she said.

“Applications like this represent a rapidly growing risk to Brisbane if the Council does not act urgently. We’ve lost too many backyards under Lord Mayor Quirk, enough is enough. It’s about time we started turning the tide.

“My biggest concern is that this land is zoned for houses and I believe it should stay that way because this genuinely protects Brisbane’s backyards.”

Cr Cook has started a petition calling on the Lord Mayor to reject the Pockley St application at epetitions.brisbane.qld.gov.au/.