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The zones where Brisbane City Council is looking to grow major suburban centres have been revealed.
Suburban Renewal Precinct Plans have been announced for Chermside and Upper Mount Gravatt, located approximately 15 kilometres north and south of Brisbane’s CBD.
Thousands of new homes could be built in either precinct, which have been chosen due to their proximity to jobs, transport, shops and services.
“We’re a growing city, and we need more homes,” Northgate Councillor Adam Allan said. “We want Brisbane to be a city where everyone, no matter their circumstances, can find a home that suits them.
“We focused on putting homes in the right places, that means locations with transport, shops, health services, parks, and jobs close by.”
Allan said the Metro had been a major factor in the plans. Upper Mount Gravatt residents already have access to the service, and there are plans to expand it to Chermside.
The Upper Mount Gravatt precinct will cover a section of Dawson Road, extending through Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road to Newnham Road.
The Chermside precinct will focus on the Gympie Road corridor between Rode Road and 7th Brigade Park.
Initial community consultation will inform the draft plans, which will then undergo another round of feedback.
Chermside was identified as an opportunity by Suburban Futures’ Better Suburbs Initiative in 2023.
“There are 16,000 people who work there at the moment, half of whom are in health,” said the chairman of the Better Suburbs Initiative, Ross Elliott. “But there could be 40,000 or 50,000 jobs there in the future, if we get it right.”
Elliott acknowledged that transport was an issue, and more housing alone was not the solution.
“The intention of all of these precincts is to look at ways to enhance, rejuvenate, and further develop not just housing options, but also different employment options and social infrastructure,” he said.
“If you put 10,000 people in houses, that’s 10,000 people. They’re going to need healthcare, they’re going to need a school to send the kids to. They’re going to need all those affiliated things. So it’s not just about housing.”
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the council was aiming to strike a balance between delivering more homes and protecting the character of Brisbane’s suburbs and natural environment.
“Our anti-sprawl approach is about encouraging homes in the right places – close to jobs, transport and services – so we can grow without pushing further out.”
Marchant Councillor Danita Parry said Chermside was already a thriving suburban hub, and it made sense to plan for its future growth now.
MacGregor Councillor Steven Huang also noted the existing hub in Upper Mount Gravatt, and the current access to resources.
However, Paddington Councillor Seal Chong Wah labelled the council’s track record on new precinct plans “shocking”.
“Residents flag that this administration already isn’t funding infrastructure upgrades to keep up with growing neighbourhoods,” she said.
“The LNP pay lip service to people who have given their time to have a say, but that’s it. The taller height limits go in, key infrastructure isn’t built, developers make millions in speculative land value. Brisbane can’t sustain this.”
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