Vacant blocks included in new homes tally as Housing Minister Felix Ellis says the government is on track to create 10,000 homes

Vacant blocks of land will be counted towards the government’s 10,000 new homes target, but only when someone had agreed to build a house on them, Housing and Planning Minister Felix Ellis says.

Another 23 homes: an empty block of land at Chigwell on Thursday, July 11, 2024.

The government has been criticised for counting vacant land and houses that have already been built towards its pledge of 10,000 new homes by 2032.

But vacant blocks of land would only be counted towards the government’s new homes target when someone had agreed to build a house on them, Minister for Housing and Planning Felix Ellis said.

Mr Ellis told reporters on Thursday that the government was committed to boosting the number of social and affordable homes but not every single home would be a new build.

“We think it’s a good thing that we include affordable land sales as part of our targets because that affordable land is sold on the condition that it’s built on,” he said.

“Ultimately we want to be providing people with choice.

“If you buy land, you can build the home of your choice, rather than the government saying what particular type of home that you should have.

“So we think affordable land being freed up is a great thing. It’s a great thing for supplying the market, it’s a great thing for choice for families and the legal requirement for them for those purchasers to build on it means that we’re growing supply.

“We’re on track to meet the 10,000 target at this stage and that’s really encouraging,” he said.

Mr Ellis said Tasmanians should be proud of the fact that the construction sector had delivered 3422 homes in the past three or four years.

“That means that we’ve we’re a third of the way to our target in a third of the time set,” Mr Ellis said.

Federal housing minister Julie Collins and Labor Senator Carol Brown at Chigwell.

Mr Ellis and federal Housing Minister Julie Collins announced the construction of 23 new homes at Chigwell on Thursday with $12m from the federal Social Housing Accelerator and $3.2m from the state.

“This new development in Chigwell is another great example of our government’s $32bn Homes for Australia plan helping to build more homes in Tasmania,” Ms Collins said.

“Through our additional investments in housing, including the $2bn Social Housing Accelerator which will deliver more than 110 new social homes across the state and the $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund, we will be building even more homes like these.

“Since the election, we have provided more than $145m to Tasmania to help build more homes right across the state, and support the delivery of homelessness services.

“We will keep delivering so more Tasmanians have a safe and affordable place to call home.”

The Chigwell project has been approved by Glenorchy City Council with construction set to begin at the site early next year.

Originally published as Vacant blocks included in new homes tally as Housing Minister Felix Ellis says the government is on track to create 10,000 homes