High-density developments in Fortitude Valley and Spring Hill will soon require significantly fewer car parks, following changes to mandatory parking requirements across key inner-city suburbs.
New Rules Aim to Cut Costs and Boost Housing
Starting in 2025, developers in 11 inner-city suburbs, including Fortitude Valley, will be required to provide only half the number of car spaces previously mandated for new apartment buildings. City officials have also flagged plans to extend similar changes to 15 additional suburbs.
The decision, set to be finalised following state approval, is part of a broader strategy aimed at lowering construction costs to make housing more affordable.
Under the new rules, core areas like Fortitude Valley will require just one car space for every two one-bedroom units, a significant reduction from the current standard of one space per unit. Visitor parking requirements will also decrease, with only one visitor space needed per 20 dwellings, down from one per four dwellings.
In surrounding “city frame” suburbs, parking minimums will be slightly reduced to 0.9 spaces for one-bedroom apartments, 1.1 spaces for two-bedroom units, and 1.3 spaces for larger dwellings.
Suburbs Affected by the New Parking Rules
| Core Suburbs (Major Reductions) | City Frame Suburbs (Slight Reductions) |
| Bowen Hills | Albion |
| Fortitude Valley | Auchenflower |
| Highgate Hill | Bowen Hills |
| Kangaroo Point | Dutton Park |
| Milton | East Brisbane |
| Newstead | Hamilton |
| Spring Hill | Herston |
| South Brisbane | Highgate Hill |
| Teneriffe | Kangaroo Point |
| West End | Milton |
| Woolloongabba | New Farm |
| Teneriffe | |
| Toowong | |
| West End | |
| Woolloongabba |
Community Concerns and Limited Consultation
While Council claims the changes will help cut housing costs, community feedback has been limited. Only 87 submissions were received during the public consultation phase, raising concerns about whether residents had sufficient opportunity to voice their opinions.
Street parking scarcity in suburbs like Fortitude Valley and West End has already been a long-standing issue, with the reduced parking requirements expected to intensify the challenge.
Opposition figures have expressed cautious support, agreeing with efforts to reduce housing costs but questioning who will truly benefit from the savings. There are concerns that without clear mechanisms in place, cost reductions may not be passed on to homebuyers and renters but instead absorbed by developers.
Impact on Public Transport and Urban Living
The decision reflects a shift in urban planning priorities, with an assumption that car ownership in inner-city Brisbane is declining.
According to census data, more than half of residents in affected suburbs own only one car, and many rely heavily on public transport. Urban planning experts argue that while reducing parking requirements can lower development costs, it also demands robust public transport and active transport infrastructure to accommodate changing mobility needs.
Critics highlight that the city must invest in improved public transport options to support the policy shift effectively. Without these enhancements, residents may face increased competition for already limited street parking, potentially affecting the livability of high-density areas.
Published 3-February-2025