Sorry we're closed

Sorry, Brisbane is closed for future development, please try Ipswich, Logan or Caboolture.

That seems to be the message emanating from the closet NIMBY's in our community.

I say closet because no one admits to being a NIMBY. "I support more development and am happy to welcome people to our city… but could they build it over there?"

They use all sorts of arguments as to why there shouldn't be any more development in their neighbourhood; they've ignored the planning rules, it's too high, there's too many/not enough car parks, traffic is already a nightmare, we are destroying the heritage of our suburb, we're losing our greenspace.

So where are we going to put the 1,300 plus people who are moving to our city every month?

Our population is growing and we know it's not going to stop anytime soon.

Do we keep pushing outwards, spreading out deeper into the western areas to Ipswich and beyond and filling in the space between Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts?

I'm sure those in our leafy, well established suburbs would say yes please.

But is further sprawl really the answer? Brisbane is already ranking as the Southern Hemisphere's worst city for urban sprawl, sitting close behind its American city rivals – definitely not an accolade we should be proud of.

As a town planner I read a lot of objections and without fail traffic congestion will be one of the top complaints.

But ask any traffic expert and they will tell you a development of 100 townhouses close to the city will contribute less to traffic congestion than 100 single detached homes on the fringe of the city.

Why? Because the people who move to the fringes still work and play in the city and will be more reliant on their cars than someone closer to the city who will spend less time in transit and have more options for public transport.