What is Brisbane's 'More Homes, Sooner' policy?

It is a proposed amendment to Brisbane City Plan 2014 that increases building heights from 2-3 storeys to 3-4 storeys, reduces minimum lot sizes from 260m² to 120m², and reduces car parking requirements across Low-Medium Density Residential (LMR) zones — affecting 14% of Brisbane's residential areas.

How do I submit an objection to 'More Homes, Sooner'?

You can submit your feedback online at brisbane.qld.gov.au (search 'More Homes, Sooner'), email strategicplanninghousing@brisbane.qld.gov.au, call Council on 07 3403 8888, or write to Strategic Planning (More Homes Sooner), Brisbane City Council, GPO Box 1434, Brisbane QLD 4001. Submissions close Friday 20 March 2026.

Which Brisbane suburbs are affected by the LMR zone changes?

The LMR zone covers 14% of Brisbane's residential areas and includes parts of suburbs such as Morningside, St Lucia, Moorooka, Zillmere, and many other middle-ring suburbs near transport corridors and shopping centres.

Don't Let Brisbane's Character Be Bulldozed

What is "More Homes, Sooner"?

The Brisbane City Council is proposing major amendments to the City Plan 2014, targeting the Low-Medium Density Residential (LMR) zone — which covers 14% of Brisbane's residential land. The changes are framed as solving the housing crisis, but the details reveal a policy that prioritises developer profit over community wellbeing.

Height Increases

Allowable building heights jump from 2-3 storeys to 3 storeys across the board, and up to 4 storeys near transport and shops.

Tiny Lot Sizes

Minimum lot sizes slashed from 260m² to just 120m² — less than half the current requirement.

Reduced Parking

Car parking requirements reduced, adding more residents with fewer spaces in already congested streets.

Fast-Tracked Approvals

Simplified assessment processes mean less community oversight and faster rubber-stamping of developments.

Suburbs Impacted

The proposed LMR zone changes affect suburbs right across Brisbane. If you live in or near any of these areas, these changes could directly impact your street and neighbourhood.

Annerley

Balmoral

Bulimba

Clayfield

Everton Park

Hawthorne

Indooroopilly

Moorooka

Morningside

Mt Gravatt

Norman Park

Nundah

Oxley

St Lucia

Toowong

Wynnum

Zillmere

Six Critical Issues With "More Homes, Sooner"

This policy has been presented as a win for housing affordability. In reality, it creates a raft of serious problems for existing and future residents alike.

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Infrastructure Overload With No Upgrades

Council proposes to add up to 6,000 new dwellings by 2032, but there are no corresponding plans to expand public transport, roads, water, or sewerage. Brisbane's bus and train network is already struggling with overcrowding and delays. Adding thousands of residents to middle-ring suburbs without improving services is a recipe for gridlock, service failures, and declining quality of life. The policy claims to target areas "near transport," yet many designated LMR zones are served by infrequent bus routes — not the high-frequency services residents need.

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Destroying Brisbane's Queenslander Heritage

Brisbane's character suburbs — with their iconic timber Queenslander homes, deep verandahs, and lush gardens — are part of what makes this city unique. Allowing 3 and 4 storey apartment blocks in these neighbourhoods will irreversibly destroy the streetscape, cultural identity, and heritage character that generations have built and maintained. Suburbs like Morningside, St Lucia, and Moorooka face losing the very qualities that make them desirable places to live. Once a Queenslander is demolished for a concrete apartment block, that heritage is gone forever.

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Incentivising Poor Quality Development

By reducing lot sizes to just 120m², fast-tracking approvals, and cutting infrastructure charges, this policy incentivises developers to build cheap, dense housing as quickly as possible. Australia's track record with rapid multi-dwelling construction is troubling — defects, waterproofing failures, fire safety issues, and buildings requiring costly remediation within years of completion. Brisbane residents deserve quality homes, not rushed developer projects designed to maximise profit margins.

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Affordability is a Myth

The claim that this policy will improve housing affordability doesn't withstand scrutiny. New townhouses and apartments in established suburbs like St Lucia, Morningside, and Toowong will be premium products priced at market rates — not affordable housing. Developers will fit out new builds with high-end finishes to maximise returns. There are no mandated affordable housing quotas in this proposal. History shows that increasing supply in desirable suburbs doesn't lower prices — it creates expensive new stock while demolishing more affordable older housing.

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Reduced Amenity for Existing Residents

Four-storey buildings next to single-storey homes create overshadowing, loss of privacy, increased noise, and reduced breezes — all critical in Brisbane's subtropical climate. Existing residents chose their homes for sunlight, garden space, and the character of their street. This policy allows developers to build structures that tower over neighbouring properties, fundamentally changing the living conditions for people who have invested their life savings in their homes. Proposed setback requirements are minimal and insufficient.

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Parking Chaos in Suburban Streets

Reducing car parking requirements might work in inner-city areas with strong public transport, but in middle-ring suburbs cars remain essential for daily life. The reality is that residents will still own cars — they'll just park them on already crowded suburban streets. Combined with increased density, this means more competition for on-street parking, more traffic through residential streets, and greater risks for pedestrian safety. Council is reducing parking mandates to cut developer costs, not because residents don't need cars.

Brisbane's Character Suburbs Are Irreplaceable

The Queenslander home is one of Australia's most recognised and treasured architectural styles. Once these homes and streetscapes are gone, they can never be restored.

"The distinctive timber and tin Queenslander — raised on stilts with wide verandahs and ornate lattice work — is not just a building style. It represents a way of life adapted to Brisbane's subtropical climate over more than a century. These homes and the tree-lined streets they sit on form the soul of Brisbane's suburban character."

While Council claims the policy will "protect neighbourhood character," the reality is that allowing 4-storey developments on lots as small as 120m² is fundamentally incompatible with preserving Brisbane's low-rise, garden-suburb character. The proposed changes will see Queenslanders demolished and replaced with multi-storey concrete structures that bear no relationship to the surrounding streetscape.

14%

of Brisbane's residential land in LMR zone

120m²

proposed minimum lot size (was 260m²)

storey buildings in character suburbs

6,000

new dwellings target by 2032

How to Submit Your Objection

Council consultation is open from 20 February to Friday 20 March 2026. You do not need to be a property owner — any Brisbane resident, worker, or community member can submit. Here's how:

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Submit by Email

Send your submission via email using our pre-filled template. Personalised submissions carry more weight — take a few minutes to add your own experiences, your suburb, and the specific impacts that matter to you.
Open Pre-Filled Email

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Submit Online

Make your submission directly through Council's City Plan portal:
More Homes, Sooner Online Submission
Click on the blue Make submission box

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Phone Council

Call 07 3403 8888 to discuss the proposal and record your feedback.

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Write a Letter

Strategic Planning (More Homes Sooner)
Brisbane City Council
GPO Box 1434
Brisbane QLD 4001

Tips for an Effective Submission

A well-written submission carries more weight. Here are key points to strengthen your feedback:

Be specific about your concerns

Reference the proposed amendments directly. Mention building height increases, lot size reductions, or parking changes. Explain how they will impact your property, street, or suburb specifically.

Focus on planning and infrastructure impacts

Council must consider submissions about planning, traffic, transport, environmental, and infrastructure issues. Highlight the lack of public transport upgrades, road capacity, stormwater, and community facilities.

Raise heritage and character concerns

If your suburb has Queenslander homes or heritage character, reference the City Plan overlays for local heritage and character properties. Explain how 3-4 storey buildings are incompatible with the existing streetscape.

Challenge the affordability claims

Point out that no affordable housing quotas are included, that new builds in established suburbs will be priced at market rates, and that demolishing older housing stock removes the most affordable options.

Address amenity and liveability impacts

Overshadowing, privacy loss, increased noise, reduced breezes, loss of green space, and the impact on Brisbane's subtropical outdoor lifestyle are all valid concerns to raise.

Include your personal details

For your submission to be "properly made" under legislation, you must include your name, address, and contact details. Anonymous submissions will not be formally considered by Council.

Encourage others to submit too

Share this page with your neighbours, community groups, and local social media. The more submissions Council receives expressing concern, the harder it becomes to push this through unchanged.

Don't Let Developers Ruin Brisbane's Way of Life The "More Homes, Sooner" policy puts developers first and residents last.