Qld to construct 900,000 new homes by 2046

The Queensland government has released a draft South-East Queensland Regional Plan, which proposes the construction of 900,000 homes by 2046 to house 2.2 million additional residents.

According to the state government forecasts, almost 6 million people are expected to live in the area come 2046.

The draft plan released on Wednesday (2 August) revealed the state government would work with councils on housing diversity targets to provide more choices for residents on how and where they live.

Upon releasing the scheme, the Queensland government said the 12 local government areas in the region would be required to alter their planning schemes to help deliver a mix of homes to provide increased choice for communities.

Speaking on Monday (31 July) before unveiling the plan, Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the government needed to look at the mix of housing provided as “the number of one person households will increase from 23 to 35 per cent in 2046”.

“So even without counting the massive population increase, we still need more homes to house the same number of people. This means building more units, town houses and terraces,” he said.

“My elderly neighbour shouldn’t have to clean a four-bedroom, two-storey house. They should be able to downsize to a unit or terrace, without being forced to move away from their community.”

Infrastructure to support housing

According to the Queensland state government, over 100,000 of the extra dwellings would be located close to jobs, transport, and well-serviced areas and there would be a new target of 20 per cent social and affordable housing in the South-East Queensland region.

To ensure the area’s growth matches the 900,000 additional dwellings, the scheme includes a SEQ infrastructure supplement, which the government said would provide key infrastructure like hospitals, university precincts, schools, and transport.

A consultation has now opened to enable the public and interested parties to share their views, with submissions open until 20 September 2023.

A finalised scheme is expected to be released before the end of the year.

‘More housing needed than ever before’

Mr Miles said: “More housing is needed than ever before, and we need a plan that ensures homes are delivered when and where they need to be while also protecting Queensland’s great lifestyle.

“Our population isn’t just getting bigger; it’s changing, with household sizes, demographics and lifestyle trends shifting. We cannot only rely on traditional models and new greenfield development as the answer for housing choice and affordability given what we know about people’s preferences.

“The plan helps put in place a framework that councils can use to deliver more homes over the coming decade. It means more opportunities for young people and future generations to buy their first home, workers to live closer to their jobs, and older Queenslanders looking to downsize but stay within a connected community.”

Meaghan Scanlon, Queensland’s Minister for Housing, said the plan not only proposed additional houses for first home buyers but also social and affordable housing for those in need.

“With these new targets and requirements for social and affordable housing, government and industry will be clear on what is needed to help deliver for our future population,” Ms Scanlon stated.

“It compliments out $5 billion for social and affordable housing – the largest investment in Queensland’s history.

“Importantly, this plan isn’t just about housing affordability, it’s about affordable living. Making sure the right housing is available, at the right location, to maximise access to local services, transport and jobs is critical.”

The South-East Queensland Region Plan for 900,000 additional homes was released after the federal government reintroduced its Housing Australia Future Fund Bill, which proposes a $10 billion fund to provide a million private dwellings and 40,000 social and affordable homes in the next five years.

[Related: Housing bill reintroduced as threat of double dissolution grows]