Car Park Ratios Under Review for Moreton Bay Region

Published 31 July 2020

Car park review

Mayor Peter Flannery has moved to ensure car parks keep pace with population growth, requesting a review of Moreton Bay Regional Council Planning Scheme.

Following recent visits to the suburb with divisional councillors Denise Sims and Jodie Shipway, Mayor Flannery said it was obvious parking was a problem.

“This is a family suburb and many families have more than one car, so logically you’d expect developers to lodge proposals that take this into account in their designs,” he said.

“I made an election commitment to ensure Council’s plans reflect the expectations of locals and I believe that in all things common sense has to prevail.

“My personal view is that car park ratios are too low and should be reviewed.

“I’m an advocate of active transport, but given the distance of Griffin to Murrumba Downs and Mango Hill train stations I think it’s a reality that most people would drive.”

While new approvals given today under the current planning scheme require streets to be a minimum of 8-metres wide to provide more parking, there are still historic subdivision approvals with 6-metre wide street widths in Griffin that can’t be changed by Council without the agreement of the developer.

Mayor Flannery said this historical problem presented logistical issues that he wouldn’t want to see continue into the future, that is being made worse when town house developments occur on these narrower streets.

“I’m concerned that our current planning scheme provisions are not delivering acceptable standards and outcomes for residents here in Griffin,” he said.

“So although there are approved developments currently under construction, we will be requesting an immediate review of the current planning scheme’s car parking and engineering standards.

“Lifestyle is paramount in our region and key to that is good design.

“Certainly I wouldn’t expect to see any developer lodge an application that would put further parking pressures on Griffin’s streets.”