Pub sites across Nundah and Toombul could gain extra height under proposed planning changes that would allow eligible accommodation projects to reach 12 storeys ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
For eligible pub projects in nominated Major Centre locations, including Nundah and Toombul, the proposal would provide for an increase from 10 to 12 storeys. The change would create additional development capacity for qualifying sites, but would not amount to automatic approval for a 12-storey hotel.
Suburban pub sites brought into hotel supply push
Brisbane City Council’s Suburban Pub Stays Strategy is intended to encourage new accommodation and function facilities on large or underused pub sites. Council says planning changes are being considered to make hotel projects on suitable suburban properties easier to deliver.
Around 70 Brisbane pubs occupy sites of at least 2,000 square metres, but only 15 currently provide accommodation, according to council. Industry estimates supplied through the strategy indicate that redevelopment of 20 suburban pub sites could add more than 1,600 rooms to Brisbane’s hotel supply. Council says more than 260 licensed hotels operate across the city.
The latest proposal would use a Temporary Local Planning Instrument to introduce changes including additional height for eligible pub accommodation projects, simpler development applications and revised car-parking requirements. Eligible short-term accommodation developments could also defer infrastructure charges rather than paying them upfront, with the proposed charge deferral extending to hotels elsewhere in Brisbane.
Height increases would extend beyond major centres
The 12-storey provision forms one part of a wider package covering several planning zones. The examples released with the proposal provide for increased heights for eligible pub accommodation developments in Major Centre, Neighbourhood Centre, Mixed Use and some residential zones.
| Zone | Current base height cited in proposal | Proposed height for eligible projects |
| Major Centre | 10 storeys | 12 storeys |
| Neighbourhood Centre | 3 storeys | 4 storeys, or 5 storeys on sites larger than 3,000 sq m |
| Mixed Use | 5 storeys | 7 storeys |
| Low-density residential | 2 storeys | 4 storeys |
| Low- to medium-density residential | 3–4 storeys | 4–6 storeys |
The figures are examples attached to the pub-stays proposal rather than universal height limits for every property within those zones. Existing neighbourhood plans, overlays and site-specific planning controls can also affect the development capacity of individual properties.
Room shortage extends across South East Queensland
The strategy follows a prolonged slowdown in hotel development. Council says hotel construction in Brisbane fell by about 90 per cent between 2019 and 2024, while industry estimates indicate hotel-room construction costs rose about 40 per cent over the same period.
A 2026 Property Council and CBRE outlook projects South East Queensland could face a hotel-room shortfall of about 5,200 rooms by the 2032 Games even if the full identified development pipeline is delivered. The gap rises to about 7,400 rooms after accounting for the likelihood that some proposed projects will not proceed.
The same report estimates about 64,800 rooms of Games-period demand will be concentrated across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Council says South East Queensland currently has about 46,000 hotel rooms.
Several suburban pubs already combine hospitality venues with accommodation. Council argues smaller suburban developments can add rooms more quickly than large CBD hotel projects while using land already occupied by commercial hospitality businesses. The strategy also seeks to place more accommodation near family, friends, local centres and suburban destinations rather than concentrating new rooms in the inner city.
Twelve storeys would not amount to automatic approval
A higher planning height would not give a pub owner automatic approval to construct a 12-storey hotel. Individual proposals would remain subject to the planning and assessment requirements applying to their sites.
Council is proposing to introduce the changes through a Temporary Local Planning Instrument, which can temporarily alter the operation of Brisbane City Plan for up to two years. The latest package must still progress through the approval process, including Queensland Government consideration, before the proposed provisions can take effect.
Published 9-Sept-2026
