The Property Council of Australia today said that the State Government's move to decrease possible building heights in the South Brisbane area contradicts with the intent of the Government's own South East Queensland Regional Plan (SEQRP) and will negatively affect landholders in the area.

Property Council of Australia Queensland executive director Steve Greenwood said that the decision announced by Minister Hinchliffe today is in direct conflict with a key principle of the SEQRP to conserve land by making the most efficient use of land allocated for urban development.

"The South East Queensland Regional Plan, produced by the State Government stipulates that the Brisbane City Council area will need to accommodate an additional 138,000 dwellings through infill development. That is an extra 138,000 apartments and townhouses in already developed areas."

"We have in South Brisbane a prime site to pursue this agenda. It is an area which is adjacent to the CBD, has access to high quality public transport including the regions only high frequency 24 hour bus service, is currently characterised by a relatively high percentage of light industrial and commercial land and is walking distance to some of Brisbane's best open spaces."

"Yet the Minister has directed council to reduce future building heights in the area from twelve to seven stories in residential areas and from eight to four stories in mixed-use zones," said Mr Greenwood.

"To put this in perspective the State Government is keen to pursue 40 stories in Wooloongabba, 20-30 stories in Hamilton Northshore and 30 stories in Milton, all of which are arguably no better suited to infill than South Brisbane."

"Again when we look at the infill target of 138,000 dwelling, it is estimated that Wooloongabba will provide a maximum of 2,500 of these. So to suggest that this area will shoulder the load of the South Brisbane just doesn't add up."

According to Mr Greenwood, "The issue at hand is not just about achieving the infill targets in the Regional Plan, which the Property Council has for a long time considered overly ambitious but also the negative impact this will have on property owners in the area who have made decisions based on their close and ongoing engagement with council through the neighbourhood planning process."

"I also feel for Brisbane City Council who, to be fair, are required to do all of the heavy lifting when it comes to engaging with local communities on these difficult issues. The council has done all of this work only to have the State Government come in over the top and change things. Local planning is after all a local government issue."