Minimum Requirement for Duplex Development in Brisbane

Hi guys,

I have done a 4 townhouses development in Newcastle NSW and currently doing another 6 units development. Due to family reasons my family is going to move to Brisbane in 2013 and look forward to continuing similar small to medium size development in Brisbane. After reading the DCP from Brisbane City Council's website for multi-unit development, I know what a developer can do in LMR zoning but still a bit confused with the minimum requirement for duplex development so would like any experienced developers to help shed some light on it.

In LDR area, the min land size for multi-unit development is 3000m2, which basically has killed multi-unit development. The minimum lot size in this area for subdivision is 400m2 with a minimum of 10 metre frontage or 600m2 for the rear lot excluding handle in a battle-axe block. My questions are:
1. Am I correct in saying that a duplex can still be built on a block having 800m2 with 20 metre frontage then subdivided into two lots? Maybe this question sounds silly as building two separate houses instead of a duplex then torrent title subdivide them would create more profit.
2. So my real question is: Could a duplex be built on a smaller block smaller than 800m2 and strata or Torrens title subdivided?
3. Does Brisbane city council allow dual occupancy (2 properties under one title) in LDR? If so, what is the minimum requirement for it?

In LMR area, a good development site is 600m2 minimum with 17m frontage for 3 townhouses with all 100-110 GFA approx, ideally located in 200m walking distance to train station to get 60% GFA. My question is:
1. If the existing house is too expensive to demolish, is it possible to build another house on the block, subdivide it into 2 blocks with Torrens title (not strata title) so they will become two totally independent houses each on a smaller block?

The last question I want to ask is what kind of net profit a non-fulltime developer can achieve with a small to medium size development (3 to 6 units) in the current market, 20% above or just close to 15%?

Cheers,

Anson
 
Have a look at the single unit dwelling code, that will help. You can do 2 x single unit dwellings on a 600m2 block. Often referred to as freehold town homes up here.
 
Have a look at the single unit dwelling code, that will help. You can do 2 x single unit dwellings on a 600m2 block. Often referred to as freehold town homes up here.
There's definitely opportunity around this market segment as a developer, also the profile of putting townhouses/homes at the back of a block and existing house.

I still find the market sometimes does not fully appreciate (and price higher accordingly) the freehold aspect of a town home compared with a standard townhouse.
 
Hi RPI,

Thanks for your advices. Have had a look at single unit code and now understand I can fit two freehold homes in 600m2 in LMR :D.

Does Brisbane city council allow dual occupancy (2 properties under one title) in LDR? If so, what is the minimum requirement for it?

If you have involved in any small to medium size development (3 to 6 units), could you please tell me what kind of net profit a non-fulltime developer can achieve with a in the current market. With the development I got in NSW, I could get 18% net profit. Is 20% net return achievable? :confused:

Cheers,

Anson
 
Hi Darryl,

Sorry for digging up an old thread, just looking at Duplex possibilities in Brisbane and saw this thread. I read your website on the new Duplex code and the Duplex requirements Table 9.3.7.3.B.

It has the requirements of building a dual occupancy in Low Density residential as 3000m2 and 40m frontage, essentially ruling out all likely blocks you'd ever build a duplex (why waste LMR property on a duplex). Does this section of the code overrule what you said earlier about being able to get two single unit dwellings (freehold townhomes) using the single unit dwelling code? Or do they just run concurrently?

It seems weird to me that the requirements of dual occupancy in a low density residential are so stringent under the new plan? These requirements seem more like what I'd expect for units and townhouses rather than duplexes. Am I reading and interpreting this incorrectly?

Cheers,

Luke
 
State requirement to have Duplexes allowed in LR areas in New City Plan. BCC solution to this is making it not economically viable to do so.

Single Unit Dwellings are not allowed in LR areas at all.

New Plan is going to allow 300m2 sites within close proximity to centre zoned land (currently 200m), hopefully they widen the criteria on this prior to implementation.
 
Interesting thanks Daryl. Looks like BCC are definitely being cheeky with the state requirement for duplexes.

"Sure you can have duplexes as the state government requires us to allow, but we specify they can only be on blocks exactly 987m2, facing west, with an exactly 12 degree slope, and within 23m of a street whose name starts with the letter Y"
 
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