A Logan Housing Study shows growth in the city is set to continue for at least another 15 years.
The study is part of a strategy guided by Logan City Council to guide the type, design and quality of housing for our population. This would include density.
People come to Logan because it is affordable and because housing is in plentiful supply, the study said.
A typical resident lives in a stand-alone house with at least three bedrooms and a double garage. Of those, 23% are 14 years or younger, 12% are aged 15-24 with 63% living at home, and 60% have two or more cars.
Jason and Jasmine van Sleeuwan are an example of that typical family, saying they love the mix of suburbia and rural living. They both have jobs – Mr van Sleeuwan in security and Mrs van Sleeuwan in retail.
Their son Tyson is 6.
“It’s got all the facilities we need, but we can also stand in our front yard and admire the mountain and bushland views,” Mr van Sleeuwan said.
They previously lived in Tanah Merah and are now renting at Yarrabilba, awaiting construction of their four-bedroom, two-garage home on 448 square metres near natural bushland.
“We like it out here because it is just that bit further away from the hustle and bustle of other places,” Mrs van Sleeuwan said.
“The air is so clean, there’s no smog and there are heaps of other families and kids in our area for us and Tyson to make new friends.”
Planning phase
A new Logan housing study, if right, will help planning of higher-density development around transport corridors, and will highlight areas where semi-rural and large suburban blocks can be sustained.
According to the study, many new residents have come from other parts of Queensland and New Zealand.
In the last decade there have been more than 26,000 new residential dwellings approved in Logan. From 2015-2019, approvals were in excess of 3000 annually and just shy of 4000 in 2017/18.
From 2010/11 to 2018/19 (last full year of data available) annual residential dwelling approvals in Logan have soared 77%.
Again, according to the study, Logan has the potential to grow by an additional 56,000 dwellings by 2036. That equates to $18 billion in infrastructure.
By 2041, as many as 586,000 people are expected to live in the city. There are now more than 338,000
The growth excites City of Logan Mayor Darren Power who said families were flocking to new residential developments, thereby re-energising established suburbs.
“The contents of this study will now help shape our Housing Strategy to establish best-practice policy options for future housing and residential development across the city,” he said.
The study shows Logan’s growth has been led by factors including:
- Continuing residential development in established residential areas (in-fill);
- Strong residential development in emerging growth areas; and
- Priority Development Areas (PDAs) established by the State Government at Yarrabilba and Flagstone.
Deputy Mayor Jon Raven said: “Initiatives by Council have seen growth and investment in suburbs such as Park Ridge, Bahrs Scrub, Logan Reserve and Holmview that rivals what is happening out at Yarrabilba and Flagstone.
“In addition to providing affordable housing, our commercial areas such as Berrinba and Crestmead are attracting some major manufacturing companies which has delivered thousands of new jobs to Logan.
“Logan has always been a great place to live and work and now this study proves it.”
Nest steps are to investigate where new residential growth fronts will be, and how to manage development in established areas.
There are plans to determine how to deliver infrastructure, what lot sizes should be, and which types of house to build. There would be a study into ways the city can keep jobs close to home, and how to accommodate the city’s ageing population.
“This study identified opportunities for Council to explore and implement diverse, innovative, and affordable housing solutions for Logan’s residents,” Cr Raven said.
“The evidence provided by this Housing Study will allow us to set a strategic vision for the city that meets the expectations of the community as we shape our new Planning Scheme in 2025.”
The study can be viewed here: logan.qld.gov.au/city-wide-projects
