Brisbane waterfront approved for 2,200 homes but none affordable

Queensland has approved almost 2,200 homes on what politicians describe as the last major vacant development site on Brisbane's northside of the river. The Northshore Hamilton precinct will also include 13 towers, a 50-bed hotel, shops and a supermarket, but none of the homes will be designated as affordable housing.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said five developers would divide the former industrial site between them. He also defended the decision not to impose an affordable housing requirement, saying his government needed every type of housing to address the crisis.

“

You need all forms of housing, that's why we are not discriminating on the types of housing we build across the state.

“You need all forms of housing, that's why we are not discriminating on the types of housing we build across the state,” Bleijie said. He argued that riverfront apartments could attract homeowners from outer suburbs who want to downsize, potentially freeing other homes for families.

Bleijie removed the former Labor government's affordable housing mandate from the state-facilitated development program last year. He said such mandates had stopped development. He could not say how much the land sold for, saying only that it changed hands at “market value”.

“

We are in a housing crisis still, we inherited a housing crisis from the Labor government, and we are doing everything we can, we are pulling every lever possible.

The 6.1-hectare site had previously been tipped as a possible athletes' village for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The first residents are expected to move in during 2031. Bleijie said the towers were not required to be finished before the Games, although completing them by then would be welcome.

Clayfield MP Tim Nicholls called the site the last major development opportunity near the central business district, close to services and amenities. His comments came as national data from realestate.com.au showed housing affordability had fallen to its lowest recorded level.

“

It is the last vacant space and it's the great opportunity Brisbane has been crying out for.