Toowoomba developers Wagner Corp, Richards Group start work on Gainsborough Lodge housing estate in Wellcamp

A new Toowoomba subdivision now under construction could eventually provide homes for more than 1600 people, as the city continues to battle a housing shortage.

Wagner Corporation director Denis Wagner and Richards Group managing director Melinda Richards at their Gainsborough Lodge subdivision, off Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road in Wellcamp, Friday, August 23, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The developers behind one of Toowoomba’s largest new subdivisions want to create housing for up to 1600 residents in a bid to ease the city’s housing crisis.

Wagner Corporation and the Richards Group hope to finish work early next year on the first stage of Gainsborough Lodge, a near-400 lot housing estate based on the old horse stud in Wellcamp.

Once completed over several years, the approved subdivision will provide homes for about 800 residents.

But the partnership is already looking further afield, having started discussions with the council to develop the balance of the property out to Deuble Road to double the number of residents.

Richards Group managing director Melinda Richards and Wagner Corporation director Denis Wagner at their Gainsborough Lodge subdivision, off Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road in Wellcamp, Friday, August 23, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Richards Group managing director Melinda Richards, whose family has owned Gainsborough Lodge for decades, said the strong inquiry for lots in the initial stages highlighted the demand for housing.

“It won’t be long now before the lots get cut, we’ll be building some houses sooner rather than later,” she said on Friday.

“There’s a lot of demand sitting behind the development – we’ve had absolutely amazing levels of inquiry, so I think stage one will be tight in terms of availability.

“I‘m actually very passionate about the housing crisis in Australia and I’m very upset about the fact that we even have a housing crisis.

“We’ve been able to work really closely with the Toowoomba Regional Council over the past few years to let them know that we’re here to help solve that crisis.”

The next seven stages of the Gainsborough Lodge residential subdivision in Wellcamp have been submitted to the Toowoomba Regional Council for approval.

It comes as Toowoomba’s housing market continues to tighten, with the city’s rental vacancy rate remaining below one per cent as suburbs keep breaking sale records.

Wagner Corporation director Denis Wagner said a pathway out of the national crisis would require more significant forward planning.

“We need to encourage all levels of government to start planning for the future, not only in land supply but in infrastructure and the way that we’re going to deliver houses for the next generation as well,” he said.

“All too often we get focused on the here and now and we’re not worried about what’s going to happen five, 10 or even 20 years down the track.”

Wagner Corporation director Denis Wagner and Richards Group managing director Melinda Richards at their Gainsborough Lodge subdivision, off Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road in Wellcamp, Friday, August 23, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Ms Richards said she hoped to see the entire Gainsborough Lodge plot fully developed over the next decade.

“Wagner Corp is an enormous company, we’re a small company, and then there’s two levels of government we’ve been dealing with, it’s amazing to see it all come together after six years,” she said.

“This is about our love for Toowoomba and the wider catchment area, which we feel very strongly about,” Ms Richards said.

“We’ve got an application in with council now (for the remaining land) and that will be about twice this again, so you’re looking at probably 1600 people.”