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Towers up to 30 storeys could be allowed in some parts of Upper Mount Gravatt, with residents set to have their say on the proposal to transform their suburb.
Under the precinct plan, taller buildings would likely be allowed to the north of the Garden City Shopping Centre, in the area running along Logan Road and Mount Gravatt Capalaba Road.
It’s part of the contentious “tall-not-sprawl” push by the Schrinner LNP administration to increase housing supply in multiple suburbs that are well connected to existing infrastructure and public transport.
Details for Upper Mount Gravatt are yet to be determined, but building heights between five and 30 storeys are being considered for some areas.
The tallest buildings would likely be restricted to a small area close to shopping and other amenities.
Brisbane City Council could also build shaded boulevards along Logan, Kessels and Mount Gravatt Capalaba roads, as well as new arcades.
In Wynnum and Stones Corner, where precinct plans have already been established, buildings up to 15 and 20 storeys are allowed in some areas.
These attracted fierce pushback from some sections of the community, who said the influx of new residents could overwhelm existing infrastructure and change the nature of their suburbs.
“We know that the key in responding to the housing shortage is to make sure there are options available for people’s needs at different times of their lives,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said on Tuesday at City Hall.
He said his administration’s policies would make it easier for new homeowners to get into the Brisbane market.
New zoning changes just down the road in Mount Gravatt will be adopted into the City Plan on September 18, as will changes to low-medium density residential zones across the city.
The Labor opposition, which voted against the precinct plan in Wynnum, argued the changes brought to council on Tuesday represented a flawed strategy that prioritised supply above all other considerations.
“I reject the idea that this debate is simply between people who support more housing and people who oppose it,” Labor councillor Lucy Collier said.
“The question isn’t about whether Brisbane grows, it’s how we grow, who that growth is for, and whether the infrastructure and services our community rely on grow with it.”
Public consultation for the Upper Mount Gravatt precinct plan is due to open on August 21.
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