The City of Moreton Bay has released its draft plan for the Narangba East Rural Residential Investigation Area, north of Brisbane.
The plan envisages that the area will have a mix of future housing and employment land uses, environmental corridors and retention of rural residential land.
It outlines how these uses could transition over coming decades.
Some residents of the area have previously expressed concerns that plans to develop the area would result in properties being compulsorily acquired or resumed to create a large industrial land footprint.
They also expressed concern that years of planning limbo would result in drops in property value and loss of lifestyle amenity.
In a statement, the City of Moreton Bay said the State Government had now “conditioned” the Council to include land for housing and jobs in the area.
It will seek public feedback on the plans from September 7 to October 9, 2026.
Mayor Peter Flannery said the draft report was the result of nearly three years of planning investigations and consultation with the local community and stakeholders.
“It’s no secret that growth is coming to City of Moreton Bay and parts of Narangba East have long been earmarked as a key location to support future urban growth,” he said.
“Our projections show that our city will double in population from roughly 530,000 people today to 1 million within the next 30 or so years, and with those people we’ll also need new jobs; so it’s important that we plan for that growth now.”
Cr Flannery said the Narangba East Rural Residential Investigation Area covered about 1020 hectares of prime developable land in the centre of the city with direct access to the Bruce Highway.
It was also supported by a train station.
“Our draft Future Directions Report provides residents and industry clarity about our proposed intention for the future of Narangba East by providing a clear vision for growth and development in the area.
“The draft report now features a mix of future housing and employment land uses, environmental corridors, areas to be retained as rural residential land, guiding future infrastructure investment, and a plan for how it could transition into these uses over the coming decades,” he said.
A Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) is currently in place over parts of the investigation area, which prevents “out of sequence development” happening while the Council finalises consultation on the draft report and an associated planning scheme amendment.
“The TLPI was approved earlier this year by the State Government with three conditions, including a timeframe for Council to finalise the associated planning scheme amendment before the TLPI expires in June 2028,” the Council said in a statement.
“The State Government has now also conditioned Council to include future housing outcomes within the TLPI area, which has been reflected in Council’s draft Future Directions Report.”
City of Moreton Bay Deputy Mayor Jodie Shipway said there would be a further opportunity to have input when the report progressed to a planning scheme amendment within the next two years.
The updated planning scheme will then be used by Council to assess future development applications within the Narangba East Rural Residential Investigation Area and inform future infrastructure and financial decisions.
You can view the draft Future Directions Report and provide comments here
