Brisbane- Development Sites
BRISBANE DEVELOPMENT SITES IN 2026: QUALITY WINS, CREATIVITY LOSES
Robert Dunne Director Commercial Sales Savills Australia
Brisbane’s development site market remains active, but it is more selective than at any point in the past cycle. The buyers getting deals done are not simply chasing volume. They are targeting quality locations, strong amenity, and projects that can be delivered with confidence.
while limiting exposure to extended approval and construction risk. Government backed renewal areas continue to attract strong interest because they materially reduce timeline uncertainty. Priority Development Areas, where assessment is centralised and infrastructure delivery is coordinated, present a different risk profile to conventional local government pathways. While they do not eliminate risk, they remove one of the most corrosive variables in development feasibility: unpredictable approval timeframes and protracted objection processes. Inner city and river connected renewal opportunities close to public transport are also drawing capital, particularly where scale supports mixed use outcomes and long term staging. These sites appeal to groups seeking flexibility, optionality, and the ability to adapt product mix over time. The Brisbane CBD itself is again attracting developers willing to underwrite complexity in exchange for
Rising construction costs, higher interest rates, and tighter feasibility parameters have shifted the focus toward sites where execution risk can be managed and end values can be defended. In this environment, quality is determining where capital flows, while creativity is determining which deals close. Where developers are buying Demand is concentrating in locations with established appeal and clear fundamentals. High construction costs have sharpened the focus on premium sites, where stronger end values provide a greater buffer against build cost volatility and financing pressure. At the same time, townhouse and house & land projects further from the inner city remain highly competitive. These formats allow projects to commence with less reliance on presales, shorter delivery timeframes, and more manageable capital requirements. For many developers, they offer a pragmatic pathway to keep pipelines active
72 – March / April 2026
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