Mayor Demands Affordable Housing Commitment for Olympic Precinct

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner is calling on the Queensland government to commit about a third of an inner-city Olympics precinct development to social and affordable housing.

Schrinner said he wanted the state government to double its commitment and reserve 30 per cent of the 2000 apartments slated for the Cross River Rail Woolloongabba precinct for social and affordable housing for key workers.

“This would deliver about 600 social and affordable apartments just 2km from the CBD on a site that will have both a train and bus station, as well as a dedicated Brisbane Metro Station just a short distance away,” Schrinner said.

“It would also double the number of new public housing properties the state government has managed to deliver across all of Queensland since 2017.”

A Queensland government spokesperson confirmed the government had committed to turning 50 per cent of the new Gabba precinct into open space.

“We’ve also made it a requirement that a minimum of 15 per cent of residences be high quality social or affordable housing,” the spokesperson said.

“Investigations into the appropriate supply of social or affordable housing will be undertaken over the next 10 months as part of the detailed planning for the precinct including consideration of public realm, stadium redevelopment and transport connections.”

Social and affordable housing is also earmarked for the Roma Street Cross River Rail precinct at a rate of 10 per cent.

The Palaszczuk government’s $2.9 billion housing investment is due to deliver 7400 new social and affordable housing commencements across Queensland by mid-2025.

The Woolloongabba priority development area was expanded late last year from 10 hectares to 21 hectares, encompassing The Gabba and an area east of Main Street as part of the 2032 Olympic Games redevelopment.

“As property prices grow and rental properties become harder to find, the state government needs to find ways to provide more social and affordable housing,” Schrinner said.

“Given the average house in the Gabba is now more than $1 million, reserving affordable housing for essential workers like nurses and teachers who may work nearby should be considered.”

Development in the priority development area is currently governed under an interim land use plan, with a formal scheme due to be released for consultation later this year.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the new land use plan included “specific provisions for affordable and social housing” in addition to public space.

“It protects and maintains our commitment to ensure the Gabba precinct includes 50 per cent open space as well as affordable housing for nurses, teachers and other frontline workers,” Bailey said.

“The community will be able to have its say on the PDA [this year] when a proposed development scheme is released for public consultation.

“Pumping more than $4 million a day into the economy, this critical project is helping drive Queensland’s economic recovery from Covid and was key to securing the Games.”

Woolloongabba will become the epicentre of the Brisbane Olympics in 2032 with a billion-dollar overhaul of The Gabba stadium in addition to the Cross River Rail terminal and plaza.

Corelogic head of research Tim Lawless said the area was “likely to see a lift in desirability”.

“The area is already popular with investors, with around two-thirds of the housing stock in and around Woolloongabba being rented,” he said.

“The proximity of the Princess Alexandra Hospital and Mater Hospital provides a permanent level of localised housing demand, along with easy access to the Brisbane CBD, universities and Southbank precincts.”

Woolloongabba unit prices are at the lower end of the inner south unit markets.