Brisbane draft plan lifts Fortitude Valley limit to 40 storeys
Brisbane City Council's draft Fortitude Valley precinct plan allows 40 storeys on sites of 3,000 sqm or more. Consultation runs 13 Nov to 18 Dec 2026.
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- Read original source · Brisbane Development
Brisbane City Council has released a draft Sustainable Growth Precinct Plan for Fortitude Valley, Brisbane Development reported on 10 November 2026. The draft would let the tallest buildings in the Valley Heart reach 40 storeys, with public consultation opening on Friday 13 November.
Why it matters
The draft resets building heights in one of inner Brisbane’s busiest mixed-use areas. Brisbane Development calls it the largest change to Valley planning rules since the existing neighbourhood plan took effect in 2010, and puts the current ceiling at 30 storeys.
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For a developer, the practical effect is that height goes to large assembled sites. The outlet locates the top limits in the Valley Heart, a zone spanning St Pauls Terrace to Brookes Street, plus Ann Street and Cathedral Place. Towards the precinct edges, the limit falls to 30 storeys or less.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the Valley “has always marched to the beat of its own drum”, the outlet reported, adding that council wants more people able to live there without losing what makes it special.
The numbers
The 40-storey allowance is narrow. Per Brisbane Development, a site needs at least 3,000 sqm and a frontage of 20 metres or more to qualify. A 2,000 to 3,000 sqm site in the same area is capped at 25 storeys, and smaller lots are limited well below that.
The outlet adds that bigger projects are expected to give back through public spaces, public art, creative lighting, and new laneways and arcades.
The outlet also reports that the Valley has more than 11,500 residents and almost 28,000 workers.
Other parts of the draft, as described by Brisbane Development:
- Stronger rules for the Special Entertainment Precinct and updated acoustic standards for new homes.
- A revised Commercial Character Buildings overlay, to make reuse of older shopfronts and warehouses easier.
- New pedestrian links running from Amelia Street through to Water and Brunswick streets.
- Provision for student housing and short-term accommodation.
Brisbane Development says the plan is tied to the Exhibition station on Cross River Rail, the Gold CityGlider proposal and upgrades still to come at Kemp Place Park.
For context on what is already moving in the area, TRK Property Group has lodged plans for a 34-storey, 189-apartment tower at 57 Berwick Street (application A007052559), and council has approved a 28-storey, 164-apartment tower by McFarland Architects at 286 St Pauls Terrace (A006612891), according to the same report. Neither is part of the draft plan. Our earlier coverage of the 16-storey, $280m office at 88 Robertson Street shows the commercial side of the same precinct.
What’s next
Consultation runs from Friday 13 November to Friday 18 December 2026, per Brisbane Development. The final plan is expected in 2027.
Brisbane Development is the only source for this story, and it names no applicant tied to the draft.
Quick answers
What are the key numbers in this story?
storey ceiling: 40; site minimum: 3,000 sqm; consultation close: 18 Dec.
Where does this information come from?
This story cites Brisbane Development. Every source is linked on the page.
On the record
None: this story relies on the Brisbane Development report of the council draft.
Our coverage · brisbanedevelopment.com.au
Also reported by
- Brisbane DevelopmentFortitude Valley 40 storeys: draft Sustainable Growth Precinct Plan
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