Developer Bob Ell calls on Anthony Albanese to solve Gold Coast housing crisis

Despite a crippling housing crisis and a developer “ready to go”, this site, which is approved for 4000 homes and 10,000 residents, lies idle. Now the PM himself has been asked to intervene.

Billionaire developer Bob Ell is calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to directly intervene in fast-track approval for his giant Coomera development to solve the city’s housing crisis.

Mr Ell has written to Mr Albanese and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek asking for them to remove what he calls federal “green tape” holding back the project. It has already been green-lit by both the Gold Coast council and the state government.

The federal government says it’s still looking at the development.

The Leda Group boss wants to build more than 4000 homes on a 161ha site fronting George Alexander Way and Cunningham Dr.

Bob Ell

But Mr Ell, who bought the site in May 2023, called for a definitive answer, arguing he could begin construction immediately and have the first houses completed within three years.

“We’d like some certainty brought into the process – it is as simple as that,” he said.

“A large offset site has been proposed and we would like to proceed with settling that – we can’t wait forever for the assessment of that and neither can the seller.

“The federal government has had the benefit of looking at this project well prior to my purchase of it – in the order of seven years now – they should have a position by now.

“As both local and state government have issued approvals, we would like to proceed with the project now so that new housing is finished well ahead of when the adjoining Coomera Hospital opens in 2027.”

Map of Coomera Quarter, a 161ha site on the Gold Coast which has been bought by developer Bob Ell and LEDA Group.

The site, known as Coomera Quarter, sits between Coomera Rivers State School and the heavy rail line, south of Pimpama State Secondary College.

Once completed, it could house up to 10,000 people.

Mr Ell said his project, which had the potential for high-density housing near major transport, health and retail hubs, would take pressure off the housing supply crisis.

“This site is the vast majority of key short-term housing supply for the northern Gold Coast – it needs to happen now,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“We have a chronic lack of housing supply, and I keep reading that all levels of government are committed to getting more housing on the ground more quickly but perhaps they haven’t worked out yet that it’s their own policies that have prevented that from happening.

“In this case the Federal government can hold up their end of that commitment, show some political will and get this project approved.”

The Bulletin contacted Mr Albanese’s office but did not receive a response.

Instead, a spokeswoman for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the project was under review.

“The proposal requires assessment and approval under national environment law due to significant impacts on matters of national environmental significance, including koalas,” she said.

Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“The proponent submitted updated assessment documentation in November, which the department is currently reviewing. This is in line with statutory process.

“The department will continue to engage with the proponent through the assessment process so sufficient information is available to inform a decision about whether or not the proposal should be approved.”

It comes a week after the Bulletin revealed the city was falling further behind housing targets.

A new report by property consulting firm Urbis showed more than 50 new towers need to be built every single year for the next decade for the Gold Coast to meet state-set housing targets.

The Queensland Government’s ShapingSEQ Regional Plan calls for a further 38,800 high-rise apartments to meet population growth targets across the Gold Coast by 2031.