Redland City Council has endorsed its formal submission on the Queensland Government’s Draft Redland Housing Strategy 2023-2046 and called on the State Government to extend community consultation, including more information and mapping.

Mayor Karen Williams said it was important to note that the strategy was prepared despite the fact Council was consistently delivering its dwelling targets identified in the state government’s regional plan.

“Council has repeatedly demonstrated it has adequate land supply to accommodate the population growth and dwelling projections of the draft Shaping SEQ 2023 to 2046, and beyond,” Cr Williams said.

“In general, Council supports the aim of this draft strategy – to deliver greater housing supply and diversity in the right locations to meet the needs of the current and future population on Redlands Coast.

“However, it proposes adding significant additional dwelling capacity without providing supporting evidence and proposes changes which are simplistic and do not adequately consider the unique residential amenity and character of our established neighbourhoods across the city.

“While, generally, Council supports proposals to increase dwelling density around centres and public transport nodes, some of the actions do not adequately consider consequential impacts.”

Cr Williams said two areas of greatest concern were proposals relating to minimum lot sizes and increased building heights.

“One of the proposals is to allow subdivided lots as small as 200m², where part of an integrated development, on low density residential zoned lots that are 600m² or greater in size across our city,” she said.

‘“There is also a proposal to increase building heights to seven storeys in the medium density residential zone where the property is within 800m of a principal centre zone.

“The scale of development from these two proposals will result in significant changes across our established suburbs and neighbourhoods, with significant impacts on residential amenity and character as well as the planning and delivery of infrastructure and services.

“Providing a significant increase in housing across the city without any State commitment to provide critical infrastructure such as main roads upgrades and improved public transport would have a significant negative impact on our community and the Redlands Coast lifestyle.”

Cr Williams said the strategy should also recognise that Council, as the local planning authority, was best placed to refine the proposed actions to support the needs of the growing community.

At today’s General Meeting, Council endorsed a report and attachments as its formal submission on the Draft Redland Housing Strategy 2023-2046. The documents can be read as part of the meeting agenda on Council’s website.

Council also resolved to request the State Government pause the Draft Housing Strategy and extend community consultation on the draft strategy, including more information and mapping.

24 October 2024

Redland City Council is encouraging the community to have its say on the Queensland Government’s draft Redland Housing Strategy.

Mayor Karen Williams said it was important for residents, businesses and community groups to review the draft strategy and provide feedback to the State Government.

“The draft strategy has been prepared by the Queensland Government following a direction from the planning minister, who has stated the Redland City Plan does not provide sufficient opportunity to deliver diverse housing options, despite the state’s own land supply monitoring report for Redland City demonstrating we are actually exceeding their targets,” Cr Williams said.

There are 26 actions listed in the implementation plan, some of which are quite complex, and I strongly encourage residents to review the proposed amendments and make a submission by 12 November.

“These changes will no doubt impact the amenity of many neighbourhoods in our city without any strong commitment to the provision of state infrastructure to support their draft strategy.”

The proposed actions in the State’s draft strategy include:

• Reduced lot sizes in the low-density residential zone (as small at 200sqm) and low-medium-density residential zone (as small as 150sqm);

• Providing for multiple dwellings and retirement facilities in the low-density residential zone; and

• Increased maximum building heights (up to seven storeys) in the medium-density residential zone (excluding precincts), where the nominal maximum building height is currently two to three storeys.

The Queensland Government’s community consultation on the draft strategy includes three information sessions:

• Saturday 28 October 2023 from 10 am to 12 pm – Redland Bay Golf Club, North Street, Redland Bay.

• Monday 30 October 2023 from 4 pm to 7 pm – Mt Cotton Hall, Mt Cotton Road, Mt Cotton.

• Thursday 2 November 2023 from 4 pm to 7 pm – Alexandra Hills Hotel, 332 Finucane Road, Alexandra Hills.

There will also be online sessions where people can book a talk with a Queensland Government planner.

Further information on the strategy, consultation activities and background documents can be found on the State Government’s Redland Housing Strategy project webpage.

Council will consider its response to the draft strategy at the General Meeting on 15 November.

Redland City Council has adopted a number of measures to help address housing affordability.

Deputy Mayor Julie Talty, who chaired this week’s General Meeting, said the measures aimed to support the delivery of more affordable and diverse housing on Redlands Coast.

“Although the provision of affordable and social housing is not the responsibility of local government, we feel we can still make a difference,” Cr Talty said.

“In particular, Council has established an affordable housing policy that supports community housing providers who want to deliver affordable housing on Redlands Coast.

“The policy, which is expected to commence by early November, will offer discounted development application fees and infrastructure charges. A $1 million funding pool is available, with eligible projects able to receive discounts up to $250,000.

“The policy will also include a fee waiver for Council’s pre-lodgement service and offer an expedited decision-making period for code assessable applications that satisfy certain criteria.”

Cr Talty said Council also endorsed a major amendment to support dual occupancies on lots of 700m² (down from 800m²) or greater in Low Density Residential zones.

“This amendment will allow more opportunities for the take up of dual occupancies in the city and will support greater density and dwelling diversity in a way that is compatible with the character and amenity of Low-Density Residential zones,” she said.

The amendment will be submitted to the Planning Minister for State Interest Review.

Cr Talty said Council would also continue to advocate for the Planning Minister to progress a State Interest Review for a major amendment to the Medium Density Residential code review.

“The major amendment was prepared to achieve higher quality design outcomes for multiple dwelling housing, such as apartments and townhouses, on Redlands Coast,” she said.

Cr Talty said Council would continue to investigate opportunities to allow caravans and motorhomes to be made available as temporary residential accommodation.

ENDS

The Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, the Honourable Steven Miles MP, has released the Government's draft amendment to the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2017 (Draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update).

The plan makes amendments to the projected population growth for the SEQ and identifies proposals for how that growth will be accommodated and serviced.

The amended plan is open for statutory consultation between 3 August 2023 to 20 September 2023 in accordance with the Queensland Planning Act 2016.

Written submissions on the draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update may be made to the Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympic and Paralympic Games Infrastructure by any person.

A copy of the draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update may be downloaded from the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning’s website at https://www.qld.gov.au/shapingseq.

The Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning (the department) is undertaking consultation sessions in each local government area so the community can talk to a planner about the plan or discuss how the plan relates to their property.

Please directly contact shapingseqprojects@dsdilgp.qld.gov.au for further information about the Draft ShapingSEQ 2023 Update.

Council calls for critical infrastructure for potential state-imposed housing development on Redlands Coast

20 April 2023

Redland City Council has identified the critical elements it believes the Queensland Government must consider as part of the South-East Queensland Regional Plan (SEQRP) review.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams also tabled a Mayoral Minute at the General Council meeting today (Wednesday 19 April 2023), raising concerns about a possible Ministerial designation to facilitate accelerated delivery of suburban-scale housing in a 900-hectare site in Southern Thornlands, otherwise known as the Southern Thornlands Potential Future Growth Area (STPFGA).

Cr Williams said Council was recently made aware the Planning Minister may designate the entirety of the STPFGA as a Priority Development Area (PDA) as a means of addressing the unfolding housing crisis across the state and the nation.

“Council recognises there is a housing crisis, supports additional housing when it comes with critical state government infrastructure, and is looking at its own housing affordability initiatives,” Cr Williams said.

“However, zoning a new area for up to 8000 dwellings without infrastructure when we already have enough other land supply is not the answer.

“The proposal not only directly conflicts with Council’s preferred land use intents for Southern Thornlands, which includes a precinct that will accommodate a mixed industry business area to provide employment opportunities and for rural residential living, but there also does not appear to be any evidence to support this potential declaration.

“On the key performance benchmarks identified in the South-East Queensland Regional Plan, Redland City Council is exceeding all its residential land supply targets, with the state’s own data showing Redland City has current capacity to provide up to 43,000 dwellings – almost four times what is required.”

Cr Williams said the Queensland Government had also completed studies across the state of land availability for housing and population forecasts, but it had not been released publicly.

“It is important that this information, the 2022 Land Supply Monitoring Report, which includes data for Redlands Coast, is released for all to see before imposing such a large-scale housing development in this area,” Cr Williams said.

“Council wants to work with all levels of government as we know this is not something that one level of government can fix alone. We need everyone at the table and transparency around data that can inform decisions on this important work.

“A coordinated response is required to address the national housing crisis and cost of living pressures more broadly, ensuring residents have somewhere to live while meeting their social needs and protecting their quality of life.

“For example, a significant issue for Redlands Coast is a lack of social housing, which is a State Government responsibility.

“Council is investigating its own options to support affordable housing in the city. This includes possible incentives for the delivery of affordable housing products to market.”

Cr Williams said Council was committed to working collaboratively with the State Government to deliver solutions that would achieve meaningful impacts for the Redlands Coast community.

Cr Williams said key interventions by the State Government could include:

• A significant increase in funding for social and affordable housing.
• Investments in region-shaping infrastructure that will unlock take up of appropriately zoned land in the existing urban footprint.
• Legislative reforms that support the delivery of smaller and more affordable housing options.
• Strategies and programs that deliver affordable housing outside of traditional public housing models of provision, such as build-to-rent schemes and transitioning public housing stock to the community housing sector for redevelopment.
• The establishment of a dedicated team within the State Government to streamline the delivery of affordable housing.

Cr Williams said it was important to note that affordability issues currently being experienced on Redlands Coast were not related to a lack of supply of appropriately zoned land, but the timely delivery of housing to market.

“Council absolutely supports additional housing but wants to ensure that housing comes with the critical infrastructure required to support the communities who live there,” Cr Williams said.

“We want those who live there to be able to enjoy our naturally wonderful lifestyle, go to a school nearby, have employment opportunities, effective public transport, good roads, and hospital services.

“If there was to be a State Government designation of a PDA for Southern Thornlands potentially incorporating up to 8000 new dwellings, this is twice the size of the Shoreline development in Redland Bay.

“Without the required infrastructure for such a massive influx to the population, equivalent to a whole new Council division, there would be significant negative impacts on our community, environment, and lifestyle.

“The city already requires state infrastructure such as an eastern busway from Capalaba to Carindale, duplication of Cleveland train line and upgrades to the state road networks.

“Council will not endorse a regional plan that proposes additional growth without a commitment from the Queensland Government to fund new and upgraded infrastructure.

“Our community has been adamant in demanding any population growth needs to be accompanied by critical state infrastructure such as roads, hospitals and schools.”