Following the devastating January floods, new houses in areas of Brisbane will have to be built 800mm to 2m higher under interim planning initiatives announced this morning by Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Campbell.

Cr Newman said the council's Civic Cabinet had decided to recommend a new interim defined flood level using the January flood data.

"This doesn't affect people who've got an existing home in an existing suburb who just want to rebuild," Cr Newman said.

"This is about the future. It's about people who want to do something new."

The introduction of an interim flood level by the Brisbane City Council will provide clarity to the development sector and help restore investor confidence to the city, according to the Property Council of Australia.

The interim planning initiatives announced this morning are timely and pragmatic providing sensible options for owners rebuilding their homes and clear guidelines for developers of new dwellings, Queensland Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia Kathy Mac Dermott said.

“Instead of being fixated on looking back at the flood events the Lord Mayor has addressed what is urgently needed to move forward.

“There is now a clear path of action for people seeking to amend development applications as well as those lodging new proposals and this will provide a significant catalyst as we start rebuilding the city and its economy,” Ms Mac Dermott said.

The new defined flood level is expected to be voted on by the council within weeks. It will then be signed off by the state.
If adopted, it would mean the habitable floor level of a new home in a flood-prone area would have to be built 500mm above the flood level recorded in Brisbane.

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