Undue Subdivision of Land Prevention Act 1885
Encyclopedia
The Undue Subdivision of Land Prevention Act 1885 was a law passed by the Parliament of Queensland
in that year to prevent overcrowding and urban degradation in cities and towns in Queensland
, especially in Brisbane
. The law is a noteworthy example of early efforts by Australia
n legislators to control urban development and avoid the appearance of slum
s.
The Act prevented the subdivision of land by speculators and developers into lots less than 16 perches
(405 square metres (4,359.4 sq ft)). As a result, most residential development in the older parts of cities such as Brisbane and Rockhampton
consists of detached homes on rectangular lots, usually with a frontage of half a chain
or 10.05 metres (33 ft), and a depth of two chains or 40.2 metres (131.9 ft). Frontages of 10 metres necessarily prevent the development of terrace houses, which was the predominant form of mass housing in other Australian cities such as Sydney
, Melbourne
and Newcastle
. Many middle-class and wealthier land owners preferred to buy two adjoining 16-perch allotments and build a larger house straddling the two lots. One Member of the Legislative Council reportedly argued for a minimum lot size of 32 perches — that is, 809 square metres (8,708 sq ft) — during debate.
While the Act made Brisbane and other Queensland cities a more attractive and less overcrowded place to live and raise families and allowed each household to grow a garden, it did have its disadvantages, the main one being that the resulting low population density made it more expensive to provide urban services such as sewerage
, paving and street lighting. As a result, Brisbane was the last major city in Australia to be comprehensively sewered, and unpaved laneways were common in the inner city until the 1960s. Nor was Brisbane spared the horror of slum development - suburbs such as West End
and Red Hill
were long known for their general poverty and low socio-economic status, even if they weren't as overcrowded as similarly impoverished districts in Sydney and Melbourne.
The Act was rescinded in 1923 and has been replaced several times by more up-to-date town planning legislation such as the current "Integrated Planning Act (1997)". However, Brisbane and other Queensland cities are still noted for their low population densities compared to those in the southern Australian states.
Parliament of Queensland
The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen and the Legislative Assembly. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been...
in that year to prevent overcrowding and urban degradation in cities and towns in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, especially in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. The law is a noteworthy example of early efforts by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n legislators to control urban development and avoid the appearance of slum
Slum
A slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
s.
The Act prevented the subdivision of land by speculators and developers into lots less than 16 perches
Rod (unit)
The rod is a unit of length equal to 5.5 yards, 5.0292 metres, 16.5 feet, or of a statute mile. A rod is the same length as a perch or a pole. In old English, the term lug is also used.-History:...
(405 square metres (4,359.4 sq ft)). As a result, most residential development in the older parts of cities such as Brisbane and Rockhampton
Rockhampton
Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia...
consists of detached homes on rectangular lots, usually with a frontage of half a chain
Chain (unit)
A chain is a unit of length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 100 links . There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains...
or 10.05 metres (33 ft), and a depth of two chains or 40.2 metres (131.9 ft). Frontages of 10 metres necessarily prevent the development of terrace houses, which was the predominant form of mass housing in other Australian cities such as Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. Many middle-class and wealthier land owners preferred to buy two adjoining 16-perch allotments and build a larger house straddling the two lots. One Member of the Legislative Council reportedly argued for a minimum lot size of 32 perches — that is, 809 square metres (8,708 sq ft) — during debate.
While the Act made Brisbane and other Queensland cities a more attractive and less overcrowded place to live and raise families and allowed each household to grow a garden, it did have its disadvantages, the main one being that the resulting low population density made it more expensive to provide urban services such as sewerage
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
, paving and street lighting. As a result, Brisbane was the last major city in Australia to be comprehensively sewered, and unpaved laneways were common in the inner city until the 1960s. Nor was Brisbane spared the horror of slum development - suburbs such as West End
West End, Queensland
West End is an inner-city suburb of southern Brisbane.-History:West End was named by early English settlers who found the area reminiscent of the West End of London....
and Red Hill
Red Hill, Queensland
Red Hill is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia, located 3 km north-west of the Brisbane CBD. The suburb is very hilly and mainly residential, with shops and small businesses located on Musgrave and Waterworks Roads...
were long known for their general poverty and low socio-economic status, even if they weren't as overcrowded as similarly impoverished districts in Sydney and Melbourne.
The Act was rescinded in 1923 and has been replaced several times by more up-to-date town planning legislation such as the current "Integrated Planning Act (1997)". However, Brisbane and other Queensland cities are still noted for their low population densities compared to those in the southern Australian states.
Further reading
- The 200km City - Subdividing The Landscape - A brief history of urban planning in Brisbane by Peter Spearritt