Townsville Council Raises Height Limits, Reduces Lot Size RequirementsUpdated

Townsville City Council voted through amendments to its planning scheme on July 8 that lift maximum building heights from three to five storeys in medium-density zones and cut minimum lot sizes from 600 square metres to 450 square metres in selected precincts.

The changes arrive as military relocations continue to drive rental demand and investor interest in yields above 6 per cent, while the city median house price remains around $390,000.

Changes reach Bohle Plains and Idalia

Under the new rules, sites along Beck Drive in Bohle Plains and near the intersection of University Road and Kern Road in Idalia can now support attached dwellings and small apartment buildings. Council documents show the updates also require new facades to incorporate at least 30 per cent brick or rendered masonry and limit unbroken wall lengths to 12 metres. These streets sit inside the city’s designated growth corridors, where earlier subdivisions already carry infrastructure contributions paid to the Townsville City Council.

Local data from the Queensland Government’s housing dashboard records 1,850 new dwelling approvals across Townsville in the 2025 financial year, with Bohle Plains accounting for 312 of those lots. Average sale prices in Idalia reached $465,000 in the March quarter, according to CoreLogic figures released last month.

Next steps for owners and buyers

Applications lodged after August 1 will be assessed under the revised scheme, though existing approvals remain valid. Property owners in the affected zones can request a pre-lodgement meeting with council planners before submitting designs. Residents seeking further detail can review the amended planning scheme maps on the Townsville City Council website or attend the public information session scheduled for July 22 at the Townsville Civic Theatre.