Bayside suburbs of Wellington Pt, Alex Hills, to get 43 new social houses

Contracts have been awarded for 43 new social homes in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs, in a state government move to address a bayside housing shortage.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon inspects the Alexandra Hills site with Capalaba MP Don Brown.

Contracts have been awarded for 43 new social homes in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs, in a state government move to address a bayside housing shortage.

The new developments will include two separate projects: one in Wellington Point and another in Alexandra Hills.

The Wellington Point project will feature 17 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units, while the Alexandra Hills project will consist of 20 one-bedroom units.

The 20 one-bedroom units in Alexandra Hills are being jointly funded by the federal government through its Social Housing Accelerator program.

Both projects are designed for people with a disability and older Queenslanders and will be built to either platinum or gold standard, with wider hallways, wall ovens, step-free access at points and lower benchtops.

The Alexandra Hills site used to only have two houses, while the Wellington Point site only had one.

An artist’s impression of the units to be built at Alexandra Hills. Picture: Department of Housing

Capalaba MP Don Brown said the new homes would be a welcome addition for people who needed social housing.

“These new homes will also allow people to downsize from their current social homes, freeing them up for larger families,” he said.

“Forty-three new homes for the Redlands, 20 in Alexandra Hills and 23 at Wellington Point all close to public transport, schools and shops.”

Housing was one of the issues raised when Cabinet met with the community at Victoria Point State High School on Wednesday, August 28.

A sketch of one of the unit blocks to be built at Wellington Point. Picture: Housing Department

Land owners from southern Thornlands were hoping the state would announce it was taking planning control over hundreds of hectares of land in an effort to solve the housing shortage on Brisbane’s bayside.

Top-level government officials have been considering designating 890ha of land in Southern Thornlands as a priority area for development.

Under such a designation, all development applications would sidestep local government assessments and be fast-tracked for approval under state government guidelines.

But the landowners were kept in limbo with no state government announcement about the southern Thornlands designation.

Premier Steven Miles did, however, announce he would extend the 50 cent travel fares to the Coochiemudlo Island ferry service, after residents complained they had been left out of the statewide deal.

Originally published as Bayside suburbs of Wellington Pt, Alex Hills, to get 43 new social houses