10k new homes: LNP promises to build social housing on vacant church land

Faith leaders have welcomed an election commitment by the LNP to introduce a build-to-rent scheme aimed at using vacant church land for social housing.

Faith leaders have welcomed an election commitment by the LNP to introduce a build-to-rent scheme aimed at using vacant church land for social housing.

Discussions are already under way with the Archdiocese of Brisbane regarding plans to unlock enough land for 10,000 homes.

Under the plan, the LNP would alter the planning scheme to rezone church land, allowing faith groups to bypass impact assessment requirements while also funding the social homes.

The church would retain ownership of the land and enter extreme long-term lease agreements with community housing organisations.

Archdiocese of Brisbane Bishop Tim Norton SVD said parishes wanted to help but faced significant challenges under current planning rules.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli. Picture: David Clark

“While parishes provide this important care and support to our communities, it is difficult for them to navigate current planning regimes which can be complex, lengthy, costly, uncertain and litigious,” he said.

“This announcement offers an avenue for us to provide security and certainty to members of the community experiencing homelessness.”

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said he was confident the initiative could quickly see up to 2000 social homes constructed on church-owned properties. He said he had spoken with Brisbane’s archdiocese and deemed the proposed 40-50 ­locations viable.

“I will work with those faith-based groups every day of the week,” he said. “Leases will be a matter between those two parties. But what we have to do as a state is enable the planning framework to make it work.”

Yes in Faith’s Backyard (YIFBY), a collective of housing planners and stakeholders, along with the archdiocese and Q Shelter, has been a vocal advocate for the plan.

The trio had lobbied for exemptions from full impact assessment planning approvals for church land, a move they argue could facilitate the construction of up to 20,000 social homes across the state if the exemption was granted.

Lomandra Park Estate at Bridgeman Downs. Picture: David Clark

YIFBY claims that removing these assessments could lower total upfront development costs by 10-20 per cent, reducing land acquisition, holding costs, and interest rate fluctuations. The proposed social housing developments would be limited to no more than 12 dwelling units per site, maintaining the height of adjoining residential zones and avoiding flood-prone areas.

If elected, the LNP plans to create a scale and size assessment authority made up of local government, landowners, community housing and the LGAQ, to regulate the developments in the absence of impact assessments.

However, Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon insists that there are already expedited development approval pathways for faith groups.

“We’ve opened up the infrastructure designation pathway for social and affordable housing by community housing providers, and we’ve created a new state-facilitated development pathway to streamline approvals for proposals with 15 per cent social and affordable housing,” she said.