Lumina: Four-tower build-to-rent development in Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct’s step forward

Plans for a giant four-tower mini-city which will become home to more than 1350 people are a step closer to becoming a reality, with new images revealing the site’s dramatic transformation.

Plans for a giant four-tower unit block in the heart of the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct which will become home to more than 1350 people are a step closer to becoming a reality.

The state government has lodged a development application for Economic Development Queensland to transform the 17,330sq m Southport site next to the Gold Coast University Hospital into Lumina, a housing project aimed at frontline workers.

It is the last available site in the precinct zoned for residential housing.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the build-to-rent project would have 878 units, including 176 aimed at affordable housing.

Artist impression of Lumina development which will be built at the Gold Coast’s Health and Knowledge Precinct. Picture: Supplied

“We’ve made it clear through our Homes for Queenslanders plan that we’d pull every lever possible, including maximising housing opportunities on state-owned land,” she said.

“We put the call out for this site at Lumina, and now we’ve got plans lodged for hundreds of new homes aimed at our frontline health workers and students.

“The LNP and David Crisafulli gutted the powers of EDQ’s predecessor, restricting housing supply today.

“We changed the legislation to give our public developer a clear mission: make housing a main priority.”

Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: Annette Dew

Expressions of interest went out for the project last year, with UBS Real Estate Nominees Australia tapped to build the towers.

It will have a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom units, as well as a landscaped plaza, shops, cafes and a gym.

Infrastructure Minister Grace Grace said construction would begin in early 2025.

“Lumina represents yet another major step forward in addressing Queensland’s housing needs,” she said.

The plaza at the heart of the project. Picture: Supplied

“By delivering 878 build-to-rent units, including 176 dedicated to affordable housing units, we are taking meaningful action to support our key workers.

“This development will provide essential housing options right in the heart of the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, ensuring that those who contribute so much to our community have access to quality, affordable accommodation.”

The 2023 Gold Coast Dwelling Supply Study, released last year, warned a large number of the houses proposed for the Gold Coast are unlikely to ever get built for economic reasons and other solutions will be needed to ensure housing catches up with the population growth.

Construction is expected to begin next year Picture: Supplied

The government’s move comes just days after experienced developer Ron Bakir‘s warned about market fundamentals stacked against creating affordable housing.

Mr Bakir, CEO of Homecorp, said few in the development game were keen to invest in the lower end of the market.

“There is an undersupply of product and of quality builders in the market,” he said.

“We have certainly got a massive lack of affordable products in the market and not many are working in that space,” he said.

“From (a developer’s) perspective, the only one that is working for us (financially speaking) is the up-market product.

“It’s because costs are so high, so it just doesn’t work otherwise.”