Brisbane council cuts minimum lot size, permits taller homes to boost housing
Brisbane City Council approved amendments lowering minimum residential lot size to 120 sqm and raising height limits in low-medium density suburbs, aiming to add thousands of homes.
On Tuesday, Brisbane City Council adopted a package of planning amendments that slash the minimum lot size in low-medium density zones from 260 sqm to 120 sqm and increase allowable building heights to three or four storeys, depending on location. The changes apply to roughly 14 % of the city’s residential land and also extend subdivision eligibility to parcels within 300 m of a shopping centre, up from 200 m, while easing parking and street-tree requirements.
Council planning chair Adam Allan said the targeted areas already have good transport and services, and the council projects up to 6,000 additional homes. Real-estate agents highlighted strong market interest, citing a recent Petrie Terrace auction where a 185-sqm block sold for $855,000. Industry representatives such as Housing Industry Association Queensland’s Mike Roberts welcomed the move for smaller developers but called for broader reforms, and urban planning academic Rachel Gallagher called the 120-sqm lot a positive step but warned further planning hurdles remain.
Why it matters
The reforms could increase housing availability in Brisbane’s growing suburbs, affecting affordability and urban development.
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