Narrow blocks are everywhere in Brisbane and South East Queensland. With limited width to work with, the approach shifts from building out to building up, prioritising natural light and efficient circulation. The outcome isn't compromise; it's about getting the design right from the start

Building on Narrow Lots in Brisbane

Land availability in Brisbane and South East Queensland continues to tighten. Between 2003 and 2023, median lot sizes in capital cities fell by 33.8%, shrinking from around 588 square metres to 391 square metres. Blocks are smaller, and design needs to respond to that reality.

The approach on a narrow lot is vertical rather than horizontal. Instead of spreading across the block, homes are built over two or three storeys to accommodate bedrooms, living areas, and outdoor spaces within a limited footprint.

Narrow lots often appear in established suburbs close to transport, schools, and amenities. For many buyers, a well-designed home on a compact block provides access to locations where larger blocks are no longer financially viable.

The design challenge is straightforward: how do you fit comfortable living areas, adequate bedrooms, and usable outdoor space onto a block that's long and narrow? The solution lies in prioritising natural light, cross-ventilation, and layouts that don't feel like corridors.

Understanding Site Constraints

Every block has setback requirements, building envelopes, and overshadowing limits. These aren't obstacles, they're the parameters the design works within.

A building envelope is the three-dimensional space on your block where construction is permitted. Setbacks determine how far your home must sit from the front, rear, and side boundaries to ensure adequate light, airflow, and privacy for neighbouring properties.

On narrow lots with frontages often less than 10 metres, the design needs to work vertically while addressing these constraints from the start.

Common Constraints and Design Responses

Overshadowing Regulations: Council rules limit how much shadow your new home can cast onto neighbouring yards. A bulky, two-storey design at the rear of the block may not be possible.

Design Response: A raked or stepped roofline that angles the upper level back maintains compliance while creating opportunity for north-facing outdoor living areas on upper levels.

Side Setback Limitations: Reduced setbacks or zero-lot-line builds can limit window placement on side walls, potentially creating darker internal spaces.

Design Response: Central light wells or slim internal courtyards bring natural light into the core of the home while maintaining privacy. What begins as a constraint becomes a design feature.

These regulations shape how natural light, ventilation, and privacy are incorporated into the design. The outcome is homes that respond to both council requirements and the realities of the site.

Layout Considerations for Narrow Lots

Narrow lot townhouse design focuses on three core elements: ground floor configuration, vertical distribution, and natural light penetration.

Ground Floor Living

Open-plan layouts on the ground floor create uninterrupted sightlines from front to back. Without walls dividing the kitchen, dining, and living spaces, natural light from both frontages can travel through the entire level, preventing the dark middle zones that can occur in long, narrow floor plans.

This configuration also improves circulation. Instead of hallways taking up valuable width, movement flows naturally through the living zones themselves.

Vertical Distribution

With limited horizontal space, narrow lot designs distribute bedrooms and private areas across upper levels. This keeps the ground floor dedicated to living and entertaining, while sleeping zones benefit from elevated positions that often capture better views and breezes.

Internal Courtyards and Light Wells

On particularly tight blocks, central courtyards or light wells bring natural light and ventilation into the core of the home. These features work especially well where side setbacks limit window placement on boundary walls.

Understanding how these spaces connect is essential in the planning stage. For those interested in how floor plans are developed and visualised, this guide to rendered floor plan creation explains the process designers use to bring concepts to life. You can also see examples of our townhouse design approach on our townhouses and small lot homes page.

Design Strategies for Narrow Lots

Narrow lot design relies on vertical volume, integrated storage, and strategic window placement to create homes that feel spacious and light-filled.

Vertical Volume

Extending ceiling heights over main living areas creates volume and allows light to penetrate further into the floor plan. Two approaches are commonly used:

Voids: An opening in the floor connecting two levels positioned over the living or dining area. This allows sunlight from upper level windows to reach the ground floor, creating a light-filled central core.

Double-Height Ceilings: Extending the ceiling over the main living zone to span two storeys adds scale and prevents the long, narrow layout from feeling enclosed.

Both approaches improve airflow and natural light distribution throughout the home. Vertical design is effective on challenging sites, you can see how we apply this approach on sloping blocks.

Integrated Storage and Circulation

Narrow floor plans need efficient circulation without dedicating width to hallways. Movement flows through living zones rather than separate corridors, with pathways defined by furniture placement or architectural elements like kitchen islands.

Storage is built into the architecture rather than added as freestanding furniture:

Under-stair storage: Custom joinery beneath staircases creates functional space for pantries, wine storage, or concealed work areas.

Built-in cabinetry: Full-height joinery provides storage without visual bulk. When painted to match walls, it recedes into the background, maintaining a sense of space.

Window Placement and Natural Light

Window configuration affects both light levels and ventilation. Placing windows on opposite sides of the home creates cross-ventilation, essential for Brisbane's climate.

High-level or clerestory windows bring light into the centre of the floor plan while maintaining privacy from neighbouring properties. This is particularly useful where side setbacks limit window placement on boundary walls.

Planning and Approvals in Brisbane

Townhouse development on narrow lots is subject to Brisbane City Plan requirements, including zoning codes, site cover limits, setback regulations, and parking provisions.

Key planning considerations include:

Zoning: Property zoning (e.g., LMR2 - Low-Medium Density Residential) determines whether townhouse development is permitted and what density is allowed.

Site cover: The maximum percentage of the block that can be covered by buildings, including the home, garage, and covered outdoor areas.

Parking requirements: The number of car spaces required per dwelling, typically based on bedroom count and proximity to public transport.

Setbacks and height limits: Minimum distances from boundaries and maximum building heights as defined by the planning scheme.

Development applications are managed by town planners who coordinate the required documentation, including architectural plans, engineering reports, and compliance assessments. For more detail on the approval process, see our blog on what to expect when building in Brisbane.

Working with experienced consultants ensures the design meets council requirements from the outset, reducing the risk of delays or required modifications during assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the smallest lot width you can build a townhouse on in Brisbane?

The minimum width depends on the property's zoning under the Brisbane City Plan. A block in a Low-Medium Density Residential (LMR2) zone has different requirements than one in a high-density area.

As a general guideline, anything under a 15-metre frontage is considered a narrow lot. Townhouse developments have been built on blocks with frontages as narrow as 7.5 to 10 metres per dwelling, though this depends on specific site conditions and council approval. A town planner can assess your site and confirm what's permitted.

How do you prevent a narrow townhouse from feeling like a corridor?

The design addresses this through vertical volume, natural light, and spatial definition. Extending ceiling heights over living areas draws the eye upward, creating volume without horizontal expansion. Strategic window placement adds light from multiple angles without compromising privacy.

Ready to discuss your narrow lot project? Contact Flascon for a free property assessment.