Brisbane City Council takes drastic step to save the iconic backyard

Australia’s biggest council takes drastic steps to save the traditional BACKYARD – but developers fear it will drive up property prices and increase a chronic housing shortage

  • Brisbane City Council has banned townhouses to save the iconic backyard
  • Developers fear it will drive up property prices and increase housing shortage
  • The move is to stop the consolidation of residential lots for development
  • Council argued the crackdown was to protect the ‘Brisbane lifestyle’

Brisbane City Council has taken the drastic step of banning townhouses in established neighbourhoods to save the iconic Australian backyard.  

Council planning committee chairman Matthew Bourke said the move is to protect the ‘Brisbane lifestyle’.

Developers fear the crackdown will drive up property prices and worsen the state’s housing shortage. 

Housing Industry of Australia Queensland director Mike Roberts argued Brisbane property prices would skyrocket and homebuyers wouldn’t have as much choice.

Brisbane City Council has taken the drastic step of banning townhouses in established neighbourhoods to save the iconic Australian backyard

Council planning committee chairman Matthew Bourke (right) said the new rules are to protect the 'Brisbane lifestyle'

Council planning committee chairman Matthew Bourke (right) said the new rules are to protect the ‘Brisbane lifestyle’

‘It is astounding that New South Wales has implemented a code to make things easier and remove hurdles, while Brisbane banned it. It is not just focusing on housing, it is about good supply and choice,’ he told  The Australian.

Another Brisbane developer said the council’s decision made no sense given there was a proven demand for townhouses in the suburbs.

But Mr Bourke said the injunction is a bid to stop the consolidation of residential lots for development in low-density suburbs.

‘We have seen what has happened in other cities where owners have amalgamated their land and put it on the market for sale for townhouse development,’ he said.

‘We don’t want to see large-scale projects like that in our established suburbs. It changes that community and feedback from residents is they don’t want it.’

Mr Bourke said banning townhouses will prevent multiple homeowners from combining their lots to sell as a package to property developers.

New townhouses in more than two thirds of land zoned for residential use won’t be going ahead.

Other regions are going in a different direction to Brisbane, and opting to enhance the diversity of different housing types.

Recent research found 60 per cent of Australians would give up a large backyard when buying a home if there were enough parks in the vicinity.  

Recent research found 60 per cent of Australians would give up a large backyard when buying a home if there were enough parks in the vicinity

Recent research found 60 per cent of Australians would give up a large backyard when buying a home if there were enough parks in the vicinity

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