UDIA campaign for green Brisbane rooftops a step closer

Rooftop gardens that don’t count as a building storey are a step closer as a result of the work of our Research Foundation and its advocacy to members of our Industry Leaders Research Group, Brisbane City Council.

The qualitative work led by this group revealed how highly the community values greener rooftops, particularly in the context of more dense neighbourhoods. We knew from our developer members that delivering gardens and other rooftop amenity was often not possible because it counted as a storey, which impacted yield. Increased density in and around the city without a usable rooftop area has been a lost opportunity for both the residents living there and the surrounding community.

That’s why we were so pleased to hear this week, that council had voted to amend its City Plan so that green rooftop spaces do not count as a storey. We applaud this step by council and see it as a win for everyone that calls Brisvegas home.

We know that developers seeking to provide rooftop amenities like pools or landscaping with a shelter that exceeded the building height of the acceptable outcome, have had to weigh up the costs and potential delays associated with an impact assessable development application. This proposed change serves to encourage their delivery.

Not only do rooftops with greenery make a place nicer to live, it also delivers better visual amenity for the community, and increases the saleability of the project. Time and again, our research shows people appreciate and value trees and mature plants. The benefits of ‘green’ is well documented in terms of their impact on wellbeing as well.

Brisbane City Council are a valued member of our Industry Leaders Research Group and provide critical guidance on the work of the Research Foundation. The findings that led to this policy change are proof that the evidence base delivered by the Foundation is delivering change that benefits our members and the community.

We first wrote to the State Government about the issue in late 2017, calling for changes to the definition of a storey in the Queensland Planning Regulations. The amendment from council will now be considered by the State Government before the commencement of community consultation.

We are excited by the potential for a greener Brisbane, which this change will deliver without doubt.