TUD+ Briefing | Unlocking Bowen Hills' PDA

What the proposed PDA changes mean for development, density and investment in Brisbane’s inner core.

One of Brisbane’s most strategically located inner-city precincts will undergo a major planning reset.

Economic Development Queensland has released proposed amendments to the Bowen Hills Priority Development Area Development Scheme, designed to unlock an additional 4000 homes beyond the 23,000 already planned across the 108ha precinct.

The proposed reforms could significantly reshape development opportunities across Bowen Hills, including allowing buildings of up to 50 storeys on larger mixed-use sites, removing value uplift charges, relaxing housing, sustainability and urban design requirements, and introducing greater flexibility for performance-based development outcomes.

In this special Industry Briefing webinar, Urbis director of planning Michael Cattoni unpacks the proposed changes, identifies where the opportunities lie and examines what they could mean for landowners, developers and investors.

With public consultation now open until 9 October 2026, this briefing provides a timely look at the next chapter for one of Brisbane’s most important urban renewal precincts.

Speaker

Urbis director of planning Michael Cattoni

Cattoni has extensive experience securing development approvals across Bowen Hills and Brisbane’s inner city. He has advised on residential, commercial and mixed-use projects, helping clients navigate complex planning issues and progress major urban developments.

What you will learn

• The proposed changes to the Bowen Hills Priority Development Area Development Scheme.

• Where additional density, height and mixed-use development may be supported.

• How the proposed removal of value uplift charges could affect project feasibility.

• The implications of more flexible requirements for housing, sustainability and urban design.

• How performance-based development outcomes may be assessed under the revised framework.

• What the changes could mean for landowners, developers and investors across the precinct.

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