The Australian government last week announced $40 million of infrastructure to fast-track the approval of hundreds of local homes.
The funding will be given to the Queensland government to build 500 new homes at Meadowbrook.
It will be used to build the necessary shared infrastructure – including water, sewerage and power – to support the new housing.
The federal government claims this infrastructure guarantee would enable site approvals within 12 weeks, as opposed to 12 months.
The homes will be built on 35 University Drive, an unused piece of land next to Griffith University owned by Economic Development Queensland.
A total of 1100 homes were announced for south-east Queensland.
“500 will be constructed on this site here in Meadowbrook and 600 others will be scattered around some of the nearby suburbs,” federal housing minister Claire O’Neill said.
“These projects are all about reducing housing stress for renters, first home buyers and our most vulnerable Queenslanders.”
The social, affordable and rental homes will be built across seven other sites around Brisbane, including Stones Corner, Woolloongabba, two at Chermside, Redcliffe, Toowoomba and Southport.
To build the homes, Housing Australia is contributing $300 million, the state government $405 million, and the Australian Retirement Trust superannuation $150 million.
Single women with children, young people, key workers, Indigenous Australians and tenants aged 55+ will receive priority for the social housing.
“More housing for Meadowbrook, more housing for south-east Queensland, more housing for middle Australia, and most importantly, more housing for essential workers and social housing tenants near where the jobs and essential services are being provided,” local Member for Rankin and federal treasurer Jim Chalmers said.
“The wonderful thing about this part of south-east Queensland – we’ve got a university there, a hospital and a TAFE there, a retail centre there, two motorways, a train station – and this is all about making sure that we build more homes for Australians where the jobs and essential services are.
“The best way to solve the housing crisis is with more supply.
“Our investment will mean that the site for 500 new homes in Meadowbrook can be approved in 12 weeks, rather than 12 months – so families in our growing community can get into a home much sooner.”