Apartment buildings would be built next to two major shopping centres under new proposals passed by Brisbane City Council tonight.
New high density zones have been chosen near Upper Mount Gravatt and Chermside’s Westfield shopping centres.
The precinct plans were voted through the LNP-dominated council with bipartisan support from Labor, Greens, and the independent.
However, the LNP shot down proposals by the Labor opposition to include affordable housing targets in the precinct plans.
Councillor Adam Allan said affordable housing targets would make development less financially viable for developers.
“We need to recognise that housing in this city, 96 per cent of it, is delivered by the private sector,” Cr Allan said.
“If you choose to layer on condition after condition to developments, it just doesn’t get built.”
Adam Allan says developers cannot afford to build low-end housing. (Supplied: Adam Allan)
Labor Opposition Leader Jared Cassidy said he supported higher density housing in these areas, but said they would now come with an unaffordable price tag.
He said these plans would enrich developers and price working families out of Mount Gravatt and Chermside.Â
“What about the ordinary people? $2 million units don’t really help them, and $900 per week rent doesn’t help them either,” Cr Cassidy said.
“It’s radio silence from the LNP because they don’t care about housing affordability.”
Jared Cassidy says the future of Mt Gravatt will be unaffordable luxury apartments. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Kenji Sato)
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said these two precincts were chosen because of their proximity to public transport.
He said Mount Gravatt’s shopping centre is next to the new Brisbane Metro line, and Chermside’s was next to a proposed future Metro line.
Cr Schrinner said he did not support affordable housing targets, saying that “supply, supply, supply” was the solution to Brisbane’s housing woes.Â
The precinct plans are part of the council’s bipartisan urban densification agenda, intended to build taller apartments near public transport to reduce car dependency.
Within the current term, the council radically slashed the minimum size of blocks to just 120 square metres and cut car parking requirements for new buildings.
Other precinct plans include Stones Corner, Wynnum Central, Salisbury, Moorooka, and Alderley.
The Upper Mount Gravatt and Chermside precinct plans will now go to the Queensland government for approval, before returning to council.
The council will then finalise details including exactly what areas will be rezoned, and how tall apartments will be allowed to be.