2017-04-11 P&E Agenda Attachment 1 to Item 1 Housing Needs Assessment

7.2.5    Recommended Actions in Relation to Housing Affordability
One of the most important issues facing SEQ as a whole is the provision of diverse and more
affordable housing. The recommendations above in relation to smaller dwellings, secondary
dwellings and diversity of dwellings, including those for key workers and students, should assist in
providing generally more affordable dwellings on the private market relative to other types of
dwellings. It is anticipated in particular, that secondary dwellings, if they are implemented by the
market, will provide a much needed source of affordable rental accommodation for small
households. This is the manner in which affordability appears to have been considered in a range
of schemes (see box below).


PROMOTING AFFORDABILITY IN PLANNING SCHEMES

Affordability measures adopted in other recent Planning Schemes have focused on diversity, lot size and
small, innovative dwelling types. They also emphasise the core concepts of the Queensland Government
(2016c) of:
       Utilisation of levels of assessment and development standards to encourage, rather than impede the
        delivery of required housing options (including making dwelling houses exempt from assessment
        against the Planning scheme) (assessed only against building provisions); and
       Promotion of housing options, and particularly the encouragement of higher densities, in well-
        serviced locations with access to facilities and services (depending on the local context, transport,
        education and health services, employment, community services and leisure/lifestyle opportunities).

The following initiatives were identified in factsheets accompanying the various draft planning schemes/new
planning schemes. Some of these factsheets were prepared to describe changes in draft planning schemes
being displayed for public input and therefore these changes may have been changed/may change in the
final version.



 Section of Planning                                               Reference
 Scheme /Theme

 Brisbane City Council – Brisbane City Plan 2014

 Low-medium density                 Proposes to allow minimum lot sizes of 180m2 in the low-medium density
 residential zone                    residential zone (LMR), subject to site configuration requirements and a
 (around 10% of                      development approval.
 residential zones)                 Proposes that the plan be more specific about where small lots can be
 generally in the inner              located, their sizes and how they fit in with their surrounding area.
 city and in suburbs
                                    Houses can be ‘terrace’ style with shared side walls. However, where
 close to centres and
                                     adjoining an existing house they will need to be a minimum of 1.5 m
 transport
                                     from the side boundary. Minimum width of these lots will be 6-7.5 m.

 Low density residential            Proposes minimum lot size reduction to 300m2 with a 7.5 m minimum
 zone (majority of                   frontage, only where the lot is within 200m walking distance of shopping
 suburban areas)                     centre or commercial centre.

 Secondary dwellings                Allows greater maximum size of secondary dwelling in low density
                                     residential zone from 70 to 80m2. A development application would be
                                     required if the dwelling is proposed to be subdivided or if it is to be leased
                                     to a non-family member.




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