8. Guide to carparking rates for residential development
Brisbane City Plan 2014 (City Plan) has been developed by Brisbane City Council in consultation with the community to
support a simple, fast and clear development assessment process. The plan guides how land in Brisbane can be used
and developed to support our city’s economic growth, while protecting our city’s enviable way of life.
Brisbane City Plan 2014 replaces Brisbane City Plan
2000.
How are carparking rates for development
determined?
City Plan seeks to provide a balance between housing
affordability and adequate carparking based on traffic
generation for the size and the type of development.
The size of units and the site location determine the
potential traffic generation and carparking demand. Car
ownership rates show that it is generally less in
locations that are better serviced by public transport
and are located in inner-city suburbs. The size of
households also affects carparking, for example, single
person households generally have lower car ownership.
This guide provides information on carparking rates for
residential development and an overview of the
changes from Brisbane City Plan 2000.
More information about parking rates for other kinds of
development can be found in the Guide to Centre and
Mixed use development and the Guide to Industrial
development on Council’s website.
Brisbane City Plan 2014 carparking rates
Carparking rates for multiple dwellings in City Plan:
In proposing the Brisbane City Plan 2014 carparking
rates, many sources were considered including:
 are used as relevant assessment criteria for new
development
 previous development applications and approvals
 are not the only means by which parking is managed
in the city
 specialist advice from planning, design,
development and community sectors
 cannot change the provision of carparking for an
existing or approved development
 analysis of car ownership rates in the city from
recent Census data
 are only used for assessment and regulation of new
development
 development feasibility assessments
 observed usage of parking, in particular visitor
parking
 do not address parking issues associated with
existing uses, on-street parking or the attraction of
certain locations (such as railway stations, schools
or popular higher density mixed-use areas).
 parking rates used in other cities.
Why have carparking rates changed in Brisbane
City Plan 2014?
Brisbane has changed since Brisbane City Plan 2000
was released. The city is at the centre of the fastestgrowing region in Australia. By 2031, 4.6 million people
will live in South East Queensland and 1.27 million will
call Brisbane home. To support this growth and
Brisbane’s evolution into a New World City, Brisbane
City Plan 2014 will help create more homes for our
changing population, including the increasing number of
smaller households.
City Plan assessment criteria and the development
assessment process determine the appropriate number
and arrangement of onsite carparking spaces for new
development. The City Plan does not apply to on-street
parking and does not provide for ‘park and ride’
facilities.
City Plan carparking rates for different uses are the
acceptable outcomes used in assessing a development
proposal. As the circumstances of specific locations and
communities differ, there may be justification to vary
specified parking rates. City Plan is a performancebased scheme that allows for a development proposal
to demonstrate it can meet a more qualitative
performance outcome where the specified carparking
rate is not the most appropriate outcome.
In 2013 Council conducted the largest city-wide public
consultation program in more than a decade to seek
feedback on Brisbane City Plan 2014. More than 2700
submissions were received with more than 250 of these
relating to carparking. The main matter raised was the
shortage of on-street parking opportunities. Comments
were also received that suggested the provisions
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should be relaxed to improve the feasibility of multipleunit dwellings. Council considered all of the feedback
and made some revisions to parking rates in its final
version of City Plan.
walking distance of a major public transport
interchange.
This change encourages the development of multiple
dwellings, particularly those located near services and
high-frequency public transport (where car usage is
generally lower). The lower parking rates in these
locations also encourage higher patronage of public
transport. City Plan has reduced visitor parking for
multiple dwellings.
Council has maintained or increased the required
resident parking rates for two-bedroom and threebedroom units while decreasing resident parking rates
for one-bedroom units in areas within 400 metres
Acceptable solutions for carparking rates compared to Brisbane City Plan 2000
Land use
Brisbane City Plan 2000
Brisbane City Plan 2014
Multiple
dwellings

Maximum 0.5 spaces per one-bedroom
dwelling.
No change – as per Brisbane City Plan 2000.
– located in the
city centre
neighbourhood
plan area (City
core area)

Maximum 1 space per two-bedroom
dwelling.

Maximum 1.5 spaces per three-bedroom
dwelling.

Maximum 2 spaces per four-bedroom
dwelling.
AND

Multiple
dwellings
– located in the
City frame area
1 space per 20 dwellings for visitor
parking.
Within 200 metres of a railway station,
busway or ferry, or within 100 metres of a
major road (except where regulated parking
applies):
Modified criteria to align reduced parking rates
where a multiple dwelling is to be located in the
City frame area:

minimum 0.75 spaces per small or onebedroom dwelling
 increased to a minimum 0.9 spaces per onebedroom dwelling

minimum 1.25 spaces per medium
dwelling
 reduced to a minimum 1.1 spaces per twobedroom dwelling

minimum 1.5 spaces per large or threebedroom dwelling
 reduced to a minimum 1.3 spaces per threebedroom dwelling.
minimum 0.25 spaces per dwelling for
visitor parking.
Visitor parking has been reduced to a minimum
0.15 spaces per dwelling.
AND

Multiple
dwellings
– located near
public transport
Within 200 metres of a railway station,
busway or ferry, or within 100 metres of a
major road (except where regulated parking
applies):
Modified criteria to align reduced parking rates
where a multiple dwelling is within 400 metres
walking distance of a major public transport
interchange:

minimum 0.75 spaces per small or onebedroom dwelling
 increased to a minimum 0.9 spaces per onebedroom dwelling

minimum 1.25 spaces per medium
dwelling
 reduced to a minimum 1.1 spaces per twobedroom dwelling

minimum 1.5 spaces per large or threebedroom dwelling
 reduced to a minimum 1.3 spaces per threebedroom dwelling.
AND

minimum 0.25 spaces per dwelling for
visitor parking.
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Visitor parking has been reduced to a minimum
0.15 spaces per dwelling.
Land use
Brisbane City Plan 2000
Brisbane City Plan 2014
Multiple
dwellings

Minimum 1 space per small or onebedroom dwelling.

No change to minimum 1 space per bedroom
dwelling
– such as units,
apartments,
townhouses

Minimum 1.25 spaces per medium
dwelling.

No change to minimum 1.25 spaces per 2
bedroom dwelling

Minimum 1.5 spaces per large or threebedroom dwelling.

No change to minimum 1.5 spaces per 3
bedroom dwelling
Minimum 0.25 spaces per dwelling for
visitor parking.
Visitor parking has been reduced to a minimum
0.15 spaces per dwelling.
– in other areas
of the city
AND

Dual occupancy Considered as a multiple dwelling.
– such as a
duplex
Now considered a separate land use with
different rates:
Up to:



minimum 1 space per small or onebedroom dwelling
minimum 1.25 spaces per medium
dwelling

no change for one-bedroom dwelling

reduced to 1 space per two-bedroom
dwelling

increased to 2 spaces per three or more
bedroom dwelling.
minimum 1.5 spaces per large or threebedroom dwelling
AND

No visitor parking requirement.
minimum 0.25 spaces per dwelling for
visitor parking.
Rooming
1 space per bed.
accommodation
Retirement
facility
1 space per dwelling and 0.5 spaces for
visitors and staff.

Maximum 0.25 spaces per room in the City
core area.

Minimum 0.25 spaces per room in the City
frame area or 400 metres walking distance of
a public transport interchange.

Minimum 0.6 spaces per room otherwise.
0.7 spaces per dwelling plus 0.3 spaces per
dwelling for visitors and staff.
What else has changed from Brisbane City Plan
2000?
The carparking rates for all development across the city
are now in the one planning scheme policy – Transport,
access, parking and servicing planning scheme policy.
This means it is no longer necessary to search a
neighbourhood plan or a development code for
variations on city-wide rates.
Under Brisbane City Plan 2014, there are four different
rates:
1.
2.
3.
4.
City centre
City frame
sites close to public transport
all other cases.
Sites in the City frame will have the same rates as
those sites located close to public transport. This will
boost housing options and improve affordability in areas
near public transport and City frame where car
ownership is generally lower.
Under Brisbane City Plan 2000, there are three different
carparking rates:
1. City centre
2. sites close to a major road or public transport
3. all other cases.
Requirements for end-of-trip facilities such as bicycle
parking have been increased to provide facilities
consistent with other standards used across Australia.
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Previously, a reduced carparking rate was provided for
a site within a 200 metre radius of public transport or a
major road (measured ‘as the crow flies’). Under
Brisbane City Plan 2014, while the distance has been
increased to 400 metres, it is now measured as walking
distance. This reflects the commonly accepted standard
for an acceptable walk to high-frequency public
transport.
Walking distance is from the logical entry points of the
stop/station to the site via pedestrian routes, not ‘as the
crow flies’. The reduced carparking rate also no longer
applies to sites near major roads (unless that major
road accommodates a busway station) as highfrequency public transport access has been proven to
reduce car ownership.
How to find the acceptable carparking space
standard for a proposed development
1. Refer to Figure A in the Transport, access,
parking and servicing code to determine if the
site is in the City core or City frame. In the City
core and City frame, Table 13 in the Transport,
access, parking and servicing planning scheme
policy identifies the number of carparking
spaces required.
2.
If the site is not in the City core or City frame,
use Council’s interactive mapping tool to help
determine if the site is within 400 metres
walking distance of a dedicated public
pedestrian access point to a major public
transport interchange. A major public transport
interchange is a railway station, bus station,
ferry terminal or interchange that includes
dedicated platforms, docks, bus parking bays,
seating and ticketing facilities. If it is, refer to
Table 13 in the Transport, access, parking and
servicing planning scheme policy in Schedule 6
for the number of carparking spaces required.
3.
If the site is not within 400 metres walking
distance of public transport, refer to Table 14 in
the Transport, access, parking and servicing
planning scheme policy in Schedule 6 which
identifies the number of carparking spaces
required in these circumstances.
4.
More information
For more information about City Plan visit
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au and search for Brisbane
City Plan 2014, email the project team at
newcityplan@brisbane.qld.gov.au or phone Council
on (07) 3403 8888.
Disclaimer: The content of this information sheet is a
summary and has been prepared to assist the reader to
understand City Plan. Please refer to the full City Plan
document, entitled Brisbane City Plan 2014, on
Council’s website for further detail.
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CA14-324450-03-209