The Queensland government has opened expressions of interest (EOI) for housing projects under a new streamlined approvals process.
The initiative, part of the Homes for Queenslanders plan, aims to accelerate the construction of new homes, particularly affordable ones, by simplifying the planning and approvals stages.
Meaghan Scanlon (pictured above), minister for Housing, Local Government, Planning, and Public Works, stressed the goal of building homes faster.
“We are making it quicker and easier to build more affordable, quality homes faster in the right locations, near services and transport,” Scanlon said.
The newly established State Facilitated Development (SFD) team will give priority to projects that include affordable housing options for low to moderate income households. The focus aligns with state priorities to ensure housing developments meet the needs of Queensland’s growing population.
‘This new team wants to explore all proposals to deliver housing that meets the diverse needs of Queenslanders,” Scanlon said.
Nicole Bennetts, state manager for the Planning Institute of Australia in Queensland and Northern Territory, praised the government’s approach, highlighting the ongoing need for affordable and diverse housing due to strong population growth and changing household demographics.
“Good planning is part of the solution to facilitate more well-located affordable and diverse housing that meet the needs of the community,” Bennetts said.
Alan Miller, CEO of Villawood, expressed support for the government’s initiative to cut red tape and fast-track development applications that cater to diverse and affordable housing needs.
He highlighted Villawood’s readiness to engage with the new legislation and work with the SFD team on upcoming projects in Queensland.
The Homes for Queenslanders initiative has set ambitious targets to deliver one million more homes by 2046, including 53,500 social homes. The streamlined process introduced by the SFD team is a critical step in achieving these targets and addressing the housing affordability crisis in Queensland.
For more information or to submit an expression of interest, stakeholders are encouraged to visit the official website. Read the Queensland government media release here.
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