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apartment and townhouse planning in brisbane

Assisting With Your Townhouse Plans in Brisbane to Help Maximise Your Site’s Potential

Whether you’re looking to expand your property portfolio or you’re a developer working on a range of projects throughout Brisbane and greater South East Queensland, rely on the support and knowledge of our Town Planners for all your needs.
Our team of experienced town planners will help you achieve better outcomes in a fast and cost-efficient process. We pride ourselves on having excellent relationships with a range of consultants who have good relationships with Council and have proven to provide prompt and reliable advice when it's needed the most.

We’re eager to be involved with your project from the very start and work alongside Architects and other specialists to ensure projects are steered in the right direction from the start.

If you’re planning a multiple dwelling development such as townhouses or an apartment block, let us be a part of your project. We’re with you every step of the way.

Talk to Doyen today:
Call (07) 3180 4702
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What to consider when planning multiple dwelling apartments or townhouse developments in Brisbane

Multiple dwelling means a residential use of premises involving three or more dwellings, whether attached or detached, for seperate households.
Examples include apartments, flats, units, townhouses, row housing, and triplex. Multiple dwellings (e.g. townhouses or apartments) are distinctively different to dual occupancies.

Examples of a dual occupancy include a duplex, two dwellings on a single lot (either attached or detached), two dwellings within a single community title scheme, or two dwellings within a single body corporate.

While every site has its own limitations and should be reviewed individually, there are some common issues we face when consulting with clients on multiple dwelling projects.

Two common questions we get as Town Planners:

  1. How many units can I fit on this site?

  2. What type of unit should I build on this site?

Unfortunately as Town Planners, we’re not property market experts - the market research is something that you should invest time into undertaking yourself, or speak with a market analysis expert. 

Generally, the goal of your research will be to understand which option will yield the best return on your investment, and which option will sell in the market. 

In most cases this means that establishing the maximum number of units is not going to be your first priority. 

A smaller number of larger units will fit into the same footprint as a larger quantity of smaller units. 

Building a large quantity of small units and not being able to sell them due to the market wanting larger units or townhouses is a problem that good quality market research is likely to have resolved.

It’s important to understand which zone your property is located in. A quick initial phone consultation with one of our experienced planning team will establish this for you.

Not all zones allow the construction of townhouses and units - having units or townhouses nearby does not always guarantee that your site has the same opportunities.

Flooding has wreaked havoc for many South East Queensland regions during irregularly large rain events. It's important to understand if your site is impacted by these natural flooding constraints as it will impact the design and or ability to construct multiple dwelling units.

Most Councils make flood information readily available through resources such as Brisbane City Councils FloodWise property reporting.

If you're unsure whether your site is impacted by flooding, please contact one of our planners and we will review the site and provide feedback on any flooding constraints identified.

A flood impacted site does not automatically result in its inability to be developed.

The type (or hierarchy) of road that your site faces can impact the ability to obtain approval for multiple dwellings.

Busy roads, or ‘major roads’ generally carry a lot of traffic at high speeds, resulting in the ability to enter and exit a site safely being compromised.

Legislation advises of minimum standards that need to be achieved in order to gain approval, and consultation with a traffic consultant may be required to establish compliance.

In certain cases, if your property is located adjacent to or close to a State-controlled road, referral of the proposal may be required to be lodged to the State Government for assessment.

If you suspect your site fronts a major road, contact one of our planners who will review your site and confirm the road hierarchy level.

What is the difference between a townhouse and an apartment (unit)?

Townhouse

town planning
Townhouses generally appear as a small house across 2-3 storeys. They don’t have a separate apartment above or beneath them. Generally, townhouses have their own ground floor outdoor private open space which isn't shared as common property.

Apartment (unit)

town planning
An apartment or unit is a home in a larger building. People in the same building typically share car parking, hallways, foyers, garbage disposal, stairs, and recreational spaces.

Contact Doyen’s Town Planning consultants today

Take advantage of our no-cost initial consultation and contact us to discuss our apartment and townhouse planning services. During this initial consultation we’ll advise on the likelihood of obtaining approval for your multiple dwelling project and outline any key areas of concern.

Call (07) 3180 4702
Get in touch

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Get clarity on the site before you commit.

Your report covers:

  • Zoning, heritage & character housing

  • Flooding, bushfire, noise & vegetation overlays

  • Easements, stormwater, sewer & water



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    At Doyen Town Planning, we assist property developers, homeowners, architects, and builders across Brisbane, Redlands, and SE Queensland.
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