Four development areas in Brisbane and Logan, including controversial skyscrapers on the river in South Brisbane, will be fast-tracked by the state government in a move they say will deliver 5000 new homes in the next three years.
The declaration of a Provisional Priority Development Area that envelopes four disparate parcels of land will override local planning laws.
The four precincts are at Kurilpa (which encompasses the old Visy site and other blocks Montague Road in South Brisbane), the old Brisbane Dental Hospital and the adjacent block on Turbot Street in the CBD, the former Energex depot in Banyo, and a vacant chunk of land on University Drive in Meadowbrook.
A Provisional Land Use Plan for the precincts will be open for public consultation from June 1 to June 19.
Deputy premier and minister for state development, Jarrod Bleijie, said the move unlocked unused government land, and was essential to the government’s promise to build one million new homes by 2044.
“This is about cutting unnecessary red tape, so industry can get on with building homes sooner, while ensuring the developments are well-designed and reflect the needs of local communities,” he said.
Under the plan, Economic Development Queensland will assess development applications, which can now be submitted.
The Montague Road precinct has been controversial since it was announced in 2023 that height limits would be waved to allow for Brisbane’s tallest buildings to be erected. The need for affordable housing was also scrapped.
Whoever gets the gig at the Turbot Street site will have to incorporate the heritage listed hospital into their high-density plans. The Banyo precinct will be mixed-density, while Meadowbrook will be medium density town houses only.
Turbot Street, Banyo and Meadowbrook were part of the Land Activation Program, where government land is being offered up for development.
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