Approval for 1100 new housing lots has been granted by the Queensland government for what has been dubbed the state’s fastest-growing residential community.

Aura, a 2350sq m urban development at Caloundra South on the Sunshine Coast, is on its way to becoming a new regional city of 50,000 people on the Sunshine Coast.

The latest slew of blocks given the green light brings the masterplanned community about halfway to its target of providing lots for 20,000 new homes.

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said Aura was providing much-needed housing supply in the state’s south-east.

“We are addressing housing shortages by facilitating a diverse range of housing choices within Caloundra South, including both smaller and larger lot sizes, terrace housing, multiple dwellings, a senior living community, and social and affordable housing,” he said.

“Queensland will look quite different by the time we reach the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and … we’re making changes for the better, by ensuring the Games are the anchor for urban growth and renewal.”  

To date, about 4500 lots have had homes completed on them or are under construction.

Aura is within the Caloundra South Priority Development Area, which is one of Australia’s largest masterplanned communities and about 90km north of Brisbane.

Economic Development Queensland is the planning authority for the PDA in charge of delivering the necessary development approvals.

It  also has approved the first stage of Aura’s retail centre, paving the way for the development of up to 30,000sq m for shops, restaurants and other businesses.

Caloundra MP Jason Hunt said the go ahead for the retail centre’s first stage was a significant step in the development of a future thriving town centre that would create 15,000 jobs.

In a bid to combat the housing supply shortage and escalating rents, the Queensland government declared in March it was pushing ahead with its  rent-buster policy strategy limiting rental increases to once a year.

Limiting the frequency of increases from six to 12 months would bring Queensland into line with most other jurisdictions throughout the country and was among a raft of options for policy reform discussed at a housing roundtable in Brisbane.