Proposed Qualified state interest amendment - Local heritage

Brisbane is a great place to live, work and relax. As we strive to be a world class destination, conserving our heritage places for current and future generations will help to tell the story of our past and honour the many lived experiences that shaped our city.

Brisbane City Council regularly updates the heritage requirements of Brisbane City Plan 2014 (City Plan), the planning tool that guides how land is used in the city. Places proposed for local heritage protections are identified through public nominations and Council projects, such as neighbourhood plans and precinct plans.

Council recently asked for feedback on adding places to the Heritage overlay of City Plan in a proposal formally known as the Qualified state interest amendment – Local heritage (Local heritage amendment).

Consultation on the proposed Local heritage amendment was open for community submissions from 13 May to 16 June 2024, and is now closed. Council is considering the submissions and will publish the outcomes of consultation later in 2024.

Council has updated landowners in the Moorooka War Workers’ Housing Estate as detailed below.

Proposed changes

The Local heritage amendment proposes the protection of 30 individual places, and Brisbane’s first local heritage area comprised of 182 properties including a park.

Find proposed heritage properties on the interactive map

Protecting these heritage properties requires changes in City Plan. When proposing these changes, Council followed the Queensland Government’s Minister's Guidelines and Rules for making a qualified state interest amendment.

Read the summary of proposed changes below and download the schedule of amendments for full details:

Proposed Local heritage places

The Local heritage amendment proposes the protection of 30 places across Brisbane through City Plan under the Local heritage place sub-category of the Heritage overlay.

The identified heritage values of each place are explained in a series of draft citations.

Citations for the Local heritage amendment

To help protect identified heritage properties, the amendment proposes:

  • adding properties to the Heritage overlay in the Local heritage place sub-category
  • adding properties adjoining proposed Local heritage places to the Area adjoining heritage sub-category of the Heritage overlay
  • changing the overlay of some properties from Traditional building character to the Heritage overlay 
  • changing the zone of one property from Emerging community to the Low density residential zone and adding it to the Dwelling house character overlay.

Consultation closed at 11.59pm, Sunday 16 June 2024. Council is considering the submissions and will publish the outcomes of consultation later in 2024.

Proposed Local heritage area – Moorooka War Workers’ Housing Estate (former)

The Local heritage amendment proposed to protect the area known as the Moorooka War Workers’ Housing Estate (former) under the Heritage overlay in a new Local heritage area sub-category. 

The identified heritage values of the estate are explained in its draft heritage citation. Download the:

Because planning scheme amendments take time, temporary protections were put in place from 2 August 2022 to protect this historically significant area ahead of the opportunity for public consultation. This is called a Temporary Local Planning Instrument.

To protect the estate, the amendment proposed:

  • changing the overlay of identified properties from the Traditional building character overlay to the Local heritage area sub-category of the Heritage overlay
  • adding sites adjoining proposed Local heritage area properties to the Area adjoining heritage sub-category of the Heritage overlay
  • changing the zoning of 2 properties from Low density residential to Character residential zone.

Registered landowner submissions

Council asked registered landowners of properties in the Moorooka War Workers’ Housing Estate (former) to have their say by making a submission on the proposed amendment.

Following community submissions, it is confirmed that more than 51% of property owners in the estate do not support the proposed additional heritage protections over their property. Council is continuing to engage with these impacted property owners.

The Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI 01/22) that currently applies an interim heritage protection to properties within the estate will expire on Friday 2 August 2024. After this time, the provisions of City Plan in effect from that date, including the Traditional building character overlay, will apply.

Council is considering the submissions and will publish the outcomes of consultation later in 2024.

What does heritage protection mean for my property?

Heritage overlay

The Heritage overlay seeks to conserve historically significant places by ensuring development protects the original heritage values as much as possible.

However, keeping heritage places in active use and good repair is the best way to maintain them and some heritage exemptions allow owners to undertake eligible improvements without applications or fees.

The area adjoining heritage sub-category seeks to ensure any future development other than a house on surrounding sites also considers the heritage values of adjoining heritage places.

To find out more information about owning a Local heritage place, download:

OverlayWhat does it do?
Traditional building character overlay

This overlay identifies areas of Brisbane that contain intact groupings of houses constructed before 1947. The overlay seeks to retain the look and feel of traditional character housing streetscapes, including ‘timber and tin’ Queenslanders, art deco masonry homes, California bungalows and other styles of houses that are characteristic to Brisbane throughout its history.

The overlay seeks to retain pre-1947 buildings with any extensions or new developments to complement the traditional building style of the streetscape through compatible form, scale, materials and detailing.

Heritage overlay

This overlay identifies specific buildings, places and areas that have qualities that reflect our diverse history, making them culturally significant. Local heritage places and areas make a significant contribution to our knowledge of the history of the local area or the city.

The overlay seeks to protect the identified heritage significance of a property through its ongoing use and conservation. Council supports adaptive reuse and changes to Local heritage places that meet modern living standards in a way that does not degrade the cultural heritage significance of the place.

How do changes relate to the draft Nathan, Salisbury, Moorooka Neighbourhood Plan?

During consultation on the Local heritage amendment, Council also asked the community for feedback on a draft Nathan, Salisbury and Moorooka Neighbourhood Plan that retains the area’s vibrant community while supporting our city’s changing needs. While some proposed heritage places are also within the plan area, changes were proposed in the Local heritage amendment.

Consultation on both proposed amendments closed at 11.59pm, Sunday 16 June 2024.

Consultation

Public consultation on the proposed Local heritage amendment package is closed. Council is considering the submissions and will publish the outcomes of consultation later in 2024.

Council’s proposed amendment package was open for public consultation from 13 May to 16 June 2024. 

Download a copy of the public notice:

Following a review of submissions, Council will write to everyone who has made a properly made submission on the proposed changes and will publish a copy of the consultation report online.

Project timeline

Mid-2022Council prepared and drafted the amendment package.
6 September 2022Council proposed to amend City Plan, the local planning scheme.
September 2022 - December 2023In September 2022, Council submitted the draft plan to the Queensland Government for review. In December 2023, Council received the Minister’s approval (subject to conditions) to undertake community consultation on the proposed amendment. The Queensland Government’s response required Council to make changes, which were made.
29 January 2024 - 30 March 2024

Council entered the election and caretaker periods. Read the election period policy.

13 May 2024 - 16 June 2024Community consultation on the proposed City Plan amendment closed on 16 June 2024. Council is considering the submissions and will publish the outcomes of consultation later in 2024.
Late 2024 (date to be confirmed)Queensland Government’s final review of the proposed amendment that considers submission feedback.
Early 2025 (date to be confirmed)Queensland Government’s approval to adopt the plan, and Council adoption and gazettal.

Other City Plan amendments

View a list of Council’s amendments in progress or learn more about finalised amendments.

Register for updates

To stay informed about City Plan including proposed amendments, and to receive other Council planning and building updates, you can register for email updates.

More information

For more information about the proposed amendment you can:

  • email the project team
  • phone Council on 07 3403 8888
  • write to:
    Strategic Planning (Local heritage amendment)
    City Planning and Economic Development
    Brisbane City Council
    GPO Box 1434
    Brisbane Qld 4001.
Last updated:

Brisbane City Council acknowledges this Country and its Traditional Custodians. We pay our respects to the Elders, those who have passed into the Dreaming; those here today; those of tomorrow.