Brisbane City Council passes inner-city car park rule changes

Brisbane City Council plans to introduce controversial rule changes to inner-city parking as soon as possible, despite claims some new unit projects might have no car park spaces at all.

The changes will see fewer car spaces in new housing in parts of 19 suburbs. Picture: iStock

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has ruled out a radical push to phase out all CBD street parking by the 2032 Games as council voted to introduce controversial new inner-city parking rules.

In a rare show of unity, Labor and the Greens voted with the LNP-dominated administration to pass the laws, which will see fewer car spaces in new housing in parts of 19 suburbs.

That was despite claims some new unit projects might have no car spaces at all.

Council said it would introduce the rules, under which developers would be required to build only half as many car parks in unit towers, as soon as possible.

Mr Schrinner earlier scotched suggestions from community group Greater Brisbane that CBD street parks should be phased out by the Olympics.

“It (street parking) should be balanced. What we’ve seen over the years in inner-city suburbs is more space has been allocated to things like public transport, bike lanes and e-scooter lanes,” he said.

“We’re looking at shorter times to get more turnover of car spaces.”

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner hit back at criticism that allowing fewer unit car spaces would not reduce housing prices. Picture: File photo/Liam Kidston

He hit back at criticism that allowing fewer unit car spaces would not reduce housing prices, despite estimates that basement car parks added $100,000 to $250,000 for each parking space due to construction costs.

“The only guarantee is if you add costs on, that will be passed on,” he said.

“We have heard today that the Greens want us to introduce a new tax, a vacancy levy.

“You can’t tax your way out of a construction crisis.”

Mr Schrinner said it was an anti-sprawl approach that would cut developer cost much more than council’s infrastructure charges discount.

What were the current boundaries for new parking rules in core (red) and frame (yellow) areas.

Greens Councillor Trina Massey congratulated the LNP for introducing “their” policy.

“The Greens have been advocating for a reduction in car parks in the inner-city for a long time,” she said.

However she said there was no mechanism to make developers pass on savings to unit buyers.

She also said it was extraordinary that the administration had used the relatively good public transport in the affected 19 suburbs as a justification, while simultaneously canning the Kurilpa Loop bus service in West End-South Brisbane.

What the new boundaries for new parking rules in core (red) and frame (yellow) areas would be.

Independent Nicole Johnston, the only councillor to vote against the measure, said while it would be “buyer beware” future inner-city residents would be disadvantaged.

“In some cases there are going to be unit blocks built with no car parks at all,” she said.

“I don’t think there’s one person in Queensland who believes future (unit builds) are going to become $100,000, or much more, cheaper.”

She said it smacked of being yet another gift to developers, who had poured tens of thousands of dollars in donations into the state LNP coffers just before last year’s election.

Originally published as Brisbane City Council passes inner-city car park rule changes