The City of Moreton Bay Council (the Council) has released a draft planning document that proposes major changes to housing and commercial areas in Ferny Hills and Arana Hills.

Under the proposals, more than 70 blocks in our suburbs will be rezoned to allow buildings up to 50 metres high or between 15, 12, 8, and 3 storeys high!

Development of this height and scale will greatly impact our community, now and into the future.

Ferny Hills Futures is a community group committed to enabling careful consideration of the proposal and ensuring that all locals are given the opportunity to provide meaningful input on the future of our suburb.

But, the Council has given only 4 weeks for the community to provide feedback; consultation is set to close at 4pm on 9 April 2026. 

This is not enough time to consider a proposal of this size.

Key concerns that are not addressed in the Council's proposals include:

• how many people the proposed developments are intended to accommodate
• who the housing is designed for (e.g. families, singles, older residents)
• the balance between residential, retail, commercial and other uses
• how state government infrastructure impacts (roads, rail, schools, services) will be managed and funded
• how natural hazards such as flooding and landslip are being assessed and addressed
• how community feedback will be weighed and how final decisions will be made
• when development is likely to occur and over what timeframe
• how First Nations perspectives have been, or will be, included.

The community in Ferny Hills and Arana Hills needs more time to properly understand and evaluate the proposed plan and provide considered feedback. We also need more information from Council to properly consider the proposal.  

We are calling on Council to extend the consultation period for a period of at least 3 months and engage in genuine consultation that is transparent, informed and informative.

Residents need a fair chance to have their say.