‘He thinks there’s too many’: Bleijie halts affordable housing project

Approval for a large affordable housing development has been pulled by the state government before work could start on the project.

The development at Birtinya on the Sunshine Coast was slated to comprise 90 apartments targeted towards essential workers.

The waterfront block backs onto Lake Kawana, and is about a 300-metre walk from the Sunshine Coast Health Precinct.

A digital render of the planned building at 16 Bright Place, Birtinya.Credit: BHC

Then-Labor housing minister Meaghan Scanlon bypassed local government approval processes and approved construction on September 30, 2024.

The project is in the Kawana electorate of Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, who this week used his ministerial powers to rescind the approval and send it back to council for consideration.

The published decision references multiple concerns with the initial plan, including that it would feature 30 more affordable units than permitted by law.

Asked about the decision on Friday, Bleijie claimed “there’s not too much affordable housing – that’s not the objection at all”.

“I know a lot about this because it’s in my electorate … the former minister Meaghan Scanlon signed off sneakily the day before caretaker kicked in,” he said.

“She sneakily signed off on a 90-unit development in Birtinya that the community had raised concerns about. It’s in a cul-de-sac. They raised concerns about car parking and congestion.”

Bleijie also claimed it would have been “unlawful for the developer to proceed with the development because it hadn’t gone to council”, despite Scanlon using her powers to make a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation.

Brisbane Housing Company (BHC) was approved to build the project, and says it will take its plans back to the Sunshine Coast Council to be reconsidered with the same number of apartments.

“We were informed of the deputy premier’s decision in writing yesterday,” chief executive Rebecca Oelkers said in a statement.

“BHC remains firmly committed to moving forward with the delivery of 90 much-needed and well-located affordable homes for workers on the Sunshine Coast. The need for affordable housing in our cities and regions has never been more urgent.

“We will work collaboratively with the Sunshine Coast Council and seek approval through the local planning pathway to deliver these homes to the Sunshine Coast community.”

The Labor opposition dubbed the government decision “rotten” and said it was unjustifiable.

“Jarrod Bleijie said the LNP would give Queenslanders a fresh start, but this decision is just rotten,” deputy leader Cameron Dick said.

Scanlon – who approved the project when serving as housing minister – said the LNP government did not recognise the importance of affordable housing.

“When builders and community housing providers are raring to build, Jarrod Bleijie has taken away the tools.

“It’s astonishing that as one of a number of ministers tasked with housing, the Deputy Premier has cancelled this project because it has too many homes.

“Jarrod Bleijie needs to face Queenslanders and tell them that in the middle of a housing crisis, he’s pulling the plug on affordable homes because he thinks there’s too many.”

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