Low-cost developer calls for innovative thinking in Rocklea instead of flood buybacks

An innovative Brisbane developer has pleaded with governments to support flood-resilient housing in suburbs such as Rocklea instead of knocking down homes.

Developer Eddie Mallan at affordable flood-resilient unit block in Rocklea . Pic Annette Dew

A Brisbane cost-efficient home builder has called on governments not to give up on suburbs like Rocklea and allow floodprone land to be turned into “neglected paddocks’’.

Second-generation developer Eddie Mallan said buying back low-lying houses and demolishing them for future open space, which might never be used as parks or sporting fields, was not the best use of Brisbane’s scarce residential land.

He said innovative thinking could turn floodprone properties into low-cost, good quality homes for people who might struggle to buy elsewhere.

His comments came after reports that some residents in floodprone areas who were rejected for buybacks after the 2022 flood were inundated after Cyclone Alfred in March.

Labor councillor Steve Griffiths, whose southside ward included Rocklea, said there needed to be an annual fund to pay for suitable floodprone homes as they came on to the market.

Flooding on Deniven Street, Corinda in 2022. Picture: Liam Kidston

He claimed this had been proposed multiple times ahead of council’s annual budget process, only to have been rejected multiple times.

“I think we have a role in this, not just the state and federal governments,’’ he said.

But LNP environment chair, councillor Tracy Davis, said council first set up a voluntary flood buyback scheme in 2006 after “years of inaction’’ from the former Labor administration.

“The state and federal governments collect 97 cents in every dollar of tax revenue. Delivering a scheme without (their) support would go against independent advice and drive up rates and rents for everyone,’’ she said.

“While other Councillors may be happy to redirect money from our suburbs to pay for state and federal responsibilities, we are focused on spending within our means and keeping costs down for residents.’’

Glen Middleton returns to his house in his floodprone street in Graceville in 2011. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner wrote to the premier and prime minister as recently as March to say he would be willing to continue council’s Voluntary Home Buy Back Program, subject to further funding from them.

The de Jersey report into Cyclone Alfred, hsanded down in May, recommended buybacks, funded by the state and federal governments, be reinstated after it was revealed nearly three quarters of properties acquired under previous schemes would have flooded again in Cyclone Alfred.

But Independent councillor Nicole Johnston, whose ward included notoriously floodprone suburbs such as Graceville, called on council to reinstate its former voluntary residential buyback program.

“This is yet another example of the Lord Mayor trying to cost shift to the state and federal governments,’’ Ms Johnston said.

“They finished their buy-up scheme in 2017/18 after saying there were no more properties to buy. That’s just not true.

“There are many people just in my ward who want to leave and don’t want to pass on their misery to a new buyer.

“A lot of people don’t meet the buyback criteria but don’t have the capacity to pay to raise their properties, so they’re suffering over and over.

“It’s because of poor planning by council going back generations, to World War II, where we’ve allowed development in floodprone areas.’’

Ms Johnston also claimed council had been slow to demolish the homes that had been bought back, with many in very poor condition as a result.

Developer Eddie Mallan and Councillor Steve Griffiths at the affordable, flood-resilient unit block in Rocklea. Picture: Annette Dew

In the meantime, Mr Mallan said some properties could be re-built to make them flood resilient, providing much-needed affordable housing.

An example was a 12-unit project he had completed in Darnley St, Rocklea, which remained well above water during ex-Cyclone Alfred.

“Rocklea is 20 minutes from the city with the new train upgrades, there’s the Rocklea (Brisbane) Markets, lots of employers and a close-knit multicultural community,’’ Mr Mallan said.

“You never will get rid of flooding in Brisbane, particularly areas like Rocklea.

“In those areas you need emergency and evacuation plans and it took us two years to get Darnley St approved.

“In the end council did a really good job with their conditions, but (the state) government has bought back all these (other) properties and not even bothered to mow the grass.

“They’ve turned great land 10km from the city with great infrastructure into nothing.’’

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and former Governor Paul de Jersey release the review into the 2022 Brisbane flood, which recommended voluntary buybacks be reinstated by the state and federal governments. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Mr Mallan is finishing another six-unit project next door to the Darnley St property and said he planned to keep expanding around it.

“We’re holding on to the units for long-term (resale) growth and in the meantime we can offer people a two-bed unit for $600 a week,’’ he said.

“It’s a long play. We have taken on risk and we have to keep our costs down, but this is the highest and best use for the land, not a sports field that probably never will go ahead because you just need one person in the street to object.’’

Mr Mallan said his development company EHM Developments and his building firm Musk Builders, plus their own sales company, worked together to minimise costs and maximise efficiency.

They used their own formwork (concrete framing) and scaffolding to further drive down costs.

That formula had allowed them to build about 200 affordable apartments across Brisbane in the past eight years, from Annerley to Chermside, Auchenflower and Morningside.

Originally published as Low-cost developer calls for innovative thinking in Rocklea instead of flood buybacks