This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
THE Miles Queensland government has announced a number of new social and affordable housing projects and new plans to unlock land for more than 30,000 new homes.
The projects include 27-unit social housing project in Toowoomba, 90 affordable housing units in an eight-storey tower in Birtinya, 159 social and affordable homes at Southport and 201 social and affordable homes at Northshore Hamilton.
The 27-unit project in Toowoomba will be delivered in partnership by the state government and Vinnies and will comprise 19 one-bedroom units, six two-bedroom units and two four-bedroom townhouses.
Vinnies has now lodged a ministerial infrastructure designation (MID) to fast-track the process, as an alternative to local council development applications.
The Birtinya and Southport affordable housing projects will also go through government’s fast-track MID process, with the Brisbane Housing Company (BHC) lodging the applications.
The Southport complex will be built at Nerang Street and will comprise 63 social and 96 affordable units across a 17-level tower.
BHC has also been selected by the government as the preferred provider to deliver the 201 homes in Northshore Hamilton’s Priority Development Area.
The development has identified for a 8,000sqm site through a land audit following the Housing Summit and will facilitate $160 million in investment and support more than 460 jobs.
“A key outcome of the Housing Summit was to carry out a land audit, which identified this site as a possible location for social and affordable housing – we now have a preferred proponent and a development application lodged for these 200 houses at Northshore Hamilton,” said Grace Grace, minister for state development and infrastructure.
Brisbane Housing Company has developed more than 2,000 homes for low-income residents over the past 20 years.
BHC CEO, Rebecca Oelkers said, “Our team is eager to work closely with EDQ and other stakeholders to bring this exciting vision for Northshore to life”.
Following a market tender process, agreements are also being finalised with preferred proponents for 150 social and affordable homes at Carseldine Village, and 780 homes – at least 160 of which will be social and affordable – at Lumina, the Miles government’s 9.5-hectare development-ready land in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.
The Miles government has nearly 1,000 social homes currently under construction as part of its Homes for Queenslanders plan, which has a goal of 53,500 new social homes by 2046.
This month marked the official beginning of national cabinet’s Housing Australia Future Fund and National Housing Accord Facility, which together will aim to deliver 20,000 social homes and 20,000 affordable homes over five years. They will run concurrently with the National Housing Accord, which aims to deliver 1.2 million “well-located” homes.
The Northshore precinct is estimated to become home to a further 20,000 Queenslanders over the next three decades, with work underway to increase its dwelling by 50% over the next ten years.
At the same time, the Queensland government has announced Waraba as its 36th Priority Development Area (PDA), unlocking land for 30,000 new homes.
The Waraba PDA within the City of Moreton Bay will see a minimum of 25% of affordable and social housing and will support 17,000 local jobs.
“The PDA approach is well established and will provide the development industry with the confidence to invest and do business. This will bring significant benefits to the community in the form of additional housing, jobs, and infrastructure,” added Grace.
“PDAs are one of our most powerful tools for delivering affordable housing. Crucially, from day one, there will be a requirement that 25% of all dwellings must be delivered as a mix of affordable and social housing.”
The circa 30,000 dwellings will span nearly 3,000-hectares and will provide housing for an estimated 70,000 people.
The state government has also committed $100 million to the delivery of critical road, water and sewer infrastructure required.
“As our population continues to grow, we are pulling every lever through our Homes for Queenslanders plan to deliver more homes in areas where Queenslanders want to live,” said Meaghan Scanlon, minister for housing.
“This PDA provides a clear blueprint for a thriving future community in the Moreton Bay region and shows the Miles Government is committed to getting more shovels in the ground and tradies on the tools.
The Queensland government’s Homes for Queenslanders is a five-pillar plan that will see a further $3.1 billion invested into addressing the state’s housing crisis, including for the delivery of 600 modular homes, with the government recently awarding Perth-founded Fleetwood the contract to design and build 60 of these homes.
