Take a listen here: 54:30min onwards: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/brisbane-afternoons/afternoons/107044582
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What are we talking about? We’ve provided a summary below:
Brisbane City Council is progressing some of the most significant changes to its low-medium density residential planning rules in years. AND Council has now agreed to adopt it on the 18th September 2026.
I spoke about the proposed “More Homes, Sooner” changes on radio today, and while some of the headlines will inevitably focus on four-storey apartments and 120m² lots, there is a little more to the story.
At its core, Council is not proposing to rezone huge areas of Brisbane for apartments. Instead, it is looking to get more housing out of land that is already zoned for low-medium density residential development, particularly where that land is close to shops, services and frequent public transport.
And for owners of LMR-zoned property, the changes could have a significant impact on development potential.
Why is Council changing the rules?
Brisbane City Council estimates the city will need approximately 210,800 additional homes by 2046.
At the same time, household sizes are changing and Brisbane needs a greater variety of housing beyond the traditional detached three and four-bedroom house.
The Low-medium density residential, or LMR, zone currently represents around 14% of Brisbane’s residential area. It already accommodates housing such as townhouses, apartments, duplexes and small-lot houses, generally in areas with reasonable access to transport, shops and services.
Rather than completely rewriting where medium-density development occurs, Council’s proposal is essentially aimed at making these existing LMR areas work harder.
A new approach to the LMR zone
One of the major proposed changes is the consolidation of the existing 2 or 3 storey mix and Up to 3 storeys precincts into a new 3 or 4 storey mix precinct.
Importantly, that does not mean every property in the LMR zone will suddenly be capable of four-storey development.
The proposed rules distinguish between properties that are within a “Key Location” and those that are outside one.
That distinction is likely to become extremely important when assessing the development potential of an LMR property.
What is a “Key Location”?
Under the proposed changes, a Key Location includes land within a Principal centre, Major centre, District centre or Mixed use zone, as well as land within 400 metres walking distance of certain centres or high-frequency public transport.
For public transport stops, Council’s proposed definition generally requires a service frequency of at least:
- every 20 minutes between 7am and 7pm on weekdays; and
- every 30 minutes between 7am and 7pm on weekends.
Land within 400 metres walking distance of a major public transport interchange can also qualify.
The intention is fairly clear: put the higher-density end of LMR development closer to public transport, shops and existing infrastructure.
Up to four storeys in the right locations
Within a Key Location, the proposed provisions would allow multiple dwelling developments of up to 4 storeys and 14 metres in height on sites with a minimum area of 800m², subject to the other applicable planning and design requirements.
Three-storey multiple dwellings would continue to be contemplated on sites of at least 600m².
This could make a meaningful difference to the feasibility of some existing LMR sites.
Adding an additional storey does not simply mean an extra level of apartments. In some circumstances it can change the economics of an entire development and may bring sites into play that were previously difficult to develop feasibly.
Smaller lots outside Key Locations
Away from Key Locations, Council is taking a different approach.
Rather than pushing those areas primarily toward larger apartment developments, the proposal encourages more small-lot and townhouse-style housing.
The proposed provisions include:
- small-lot houses on lots down to 120m²
- dual occupancies on sites from 400m²
- building heights of up to 3 storeys and 11.5 metres
- more flexibility for built-to-boundary walls and terrace-style housing
- a maximum 55% site cover on lots under 180m²
- a maximum impervious area of 70%.
The 120m² minimum lot size is one of the more interesting changes.
It opens up the possibility of much narrower, terrace-style housing products in locations where an apartment development may not necessarily be appropriate.
How would a 120m² lot actually work?
Council is proposing a Development Footprint Plan, or DFP, process for subdivisions creating lots below 180m² and down to the proposed minimum of 120m².
The idea is that the subdivision application would establish important elements of the future dwelling upfront, including its building footprint, driveway location and width, bin storage, street trees, impervious area and any shared or built-to-boundary walls.
If the eventual house complies with the approved Development Footprint Plan, Council’s explanatory guide says a further development application for the house would not be required.
From a development perspective, this is potentially just as important as the reduction in lot size itself.
It creates greater certainty at the subdivision stage about what can ultimately be built on the resulting lots.
There is also a change proposed for Low Density Residential land
One of the less publicised changes sits outside the LMR zone altogether.
Under the existing City Plan provisions, some Low density residential zoned properties within 200 metres walking distance of a shopping centre can be subdivided into 300m² lots.
Council is proposing to extend that distance to 300 metres walking distance.
That could bring additional Low density residential properties into play for small-lot subdivision, even though their underlying zoning is not changing.
Car parking has already changed
There is also an important distinction between the different parts of the More Homes, Sooner package.
While the broader LMR design changes discussed above are still proposed, Council has already adopted its separate changes to multiple dwelling car parking rates.
Those changes took effect on 12 June 2026 as part of Brisbane City Plan version 36.
For example, the minimum parking requirement for a two-bedroom multiple dwelling was reduced from two spaces to 1.5 spaces per dwelling citywide, with lower rates applying in designated Key Locations.
Council’s intention is to reduce the amount of land and construction cost devoted to parking, particularly where residents have good access to alternative transport.
What does this mean if you own an LMR property?
Probably the most important point is that LMR zoning alone will no longer tell the whole story.
Under the proposed system, two properties with the same zoning could potentially have quite different development outcomes depending on their location.
Factors such as:
- whether the property falls within a Key Location
- walking distance to a centre or qualifying public transport
- overall site area
- frontage and site dimensions
- adjoining development and zoning
- overlays and neighbourhood plan provisions
- access and servicing
- the ability to satisfy landscaping, setbacks, site cover and other design requirements
will continue to determine what can realistically be achieved.
So while a headline saying “120m² lots and four-storey apartments coming to Brisbane suburbs” isn’t necessarily wrong, it oversimplifies what Council is actually proposing.
The more meaningful change is the creation of a location-based approach to density: more apartments around transport and centres, and more compact forms of housing such as terraces, duplexes and small-lot houses elsewhere within the LMR zone.
