Jarrod Bleijie told developers to cut cheaper homes from major Brisbane, Robina projects
Queensland’s deputy premier has written to developers asking them to remove affordable housing from building applications, months after changing planning laws to remove a requirement for developers to offer cheaper homes.
Jarrod Bleijie, who also serves as the state’s planning minister, wrote to Meridian Property in May demanding that the proposed development in Brisbane’s inner north be amended to cut the affordable housing component, arguing the removal would improve housing supply.
According to the original application, the Lamington Markets development in Lutwyche included two residential towers comprising 134 homes, 36 of which were affordable.
Bleijie said units would need to be reallocated to “standard market rate housing within the development” to comply with LNP changes to Queensland State Streamlined Development legislation.
“The amended application will sustain urban purpose-built development and help deliver housing delivery, which is the state’s established priority,” Bleijie wrote.
A similar request was made from Walker Group’s Lakesview project in Robina; It was originally planned for 2750 homes, 550 of which would be affordable.
In a response letter to Bleijie in May, Peter Saba, Walker Group’s director of development, acknowledged the request to remove affordable housing and supported the change.
“Furthermore, in response to changing market demands and revisions to the proposed apartment typology, the application is now awaiting approval for a total return of up to 2,500 residential units,” Saba wrote.
State Facilitated Development was a special planning tool introduced by the former Labor government in 2024 to speed up planning approvals and replace local authority planning laws.
Earlier this year the government announced a “reset” of the SFD to unlock homes faster, removing the requirement for developers to include at least 15 per cent affordable housing in their applications.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles, who announced the letters at a press conference on Tuesday, said Bleijie’s demands were evidence the government was effectively manipulating developers into making their developments more expensive.
“This is an extraordinary abuse of power by the deputy prime minister, an abuse of power that should be used to direct developers to build more affordable homes,” Miles said.
Shadow housing spokeswoman Meaghan Scanlon was particularly critical of the change to the Lakesview proposal, which was initially submitted to provide affordable housing for frontline healthcare workers near Robina Hospital.
“The LNP killed these projects and the process designed to allow working people to live in the cities where they work,” Scanlon said.
Bleijie did not comment directly on the letters but said “availability equals affordability.”
“The Crisafulli government is using every lever it can to increase housing activation, unlocking over 100,000 homes through our Housing Activation Fund and Land Activation Programme, as well as initiatives to increase affordable housing,” he said.
Developers Walker Group and Lamington Markets have been contacted for comment.
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