Innovation by design = More homes people can afford
Queensland’s growing population brings a pressing need for more diverse and affordable housing. Rising costs, limited land supply, and evolving market conditions present challenges, but also opportunities to rethink how we plan, design, and deliver homes.
Delivering affordability at scale means more than increasing supply. It requires strategic land use, smart infrastructure, and practical partnerships that reduce costs, lower delivery risk, and create lasting community value.
A more practical approach to delivery
As the Queensland Government’s land development and planning agency, Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) is supporting growth by working with industry to deliver housing that’s affordable to build, buy and live in. This includes:
- Activating development-ready land to bring homes to market faster
- Streamlining approvals to cut holding costs and reduce delivery delays
- Supporting industry to pilot and scale viable new housing models
- Improving social equity, through access to quality housing for low and low-moderate income households
- Reducing household running costs through energy-efficient design
- Delivering liveable, connected communities backed by coordinated infrastructure and green urban design
Carseldine Village: A blueprint for gentle density
At Carseldine Village, located within the Fitzgibbon Priority Development Area (PDA), EDQ is demonstrating how compact freehold lot terrace housing can deliver affordability without compromising quality.
This compact, freehold terrace lot housing model was originally developed and tested in accordance with EDQ’s Residential 30 Guideline. Designed to address affordability through innovation by design, this built-to-boundary, freehold housing model was created to support smaller, well-located lots and housing that reduces land purchase and build costs while maintaining high-quality, liveable outcomes.
What began as a demonstration project is now a replicable and scalable model being used to support diverse, liveable and resilient communities across Queensland.
Key outcomes include:
- More homes in well-connected locations – Medium-density housing close to public transport, employment, open space, and key amenities
- Lower living costs – a mandatory integrated solar and battery system in every home saves households over $1,000 per year on energy bills
- Inclusive affordability – Nearly 70% of homes are affordable to purchase by low-income earners; and 97% by moderate-income earners
- Lower barriers to entry – Homes that are appropriately sized and designed to suit a range of household types and life stages
- Collaborative cost efficiencies – the 182 terrace homes delivered by EDQ at Carseldine Village provided scale for bulk procurement agreements by EDQ’s partner builders (Thompson Sustainable Homes and Vantage Homes QLD) to significantly reduce the cost of solar and battery systems by up to $4,550 per home
- Future-ready homes – High-performance design that supports long-term comfort, safety, and resilience
Expanding the model Across PDAs
Since its early success, this approach has evolved through continued collaboration with industry. It’s now being adapted for use across other PDAs, including Oxley, Ripley Valley, Yeronga, and Caloundra South, to suit a range of housing markets, geographies, and infrastructure contexts. This demonstrates how planning-led innovation can support affordability at scale in growing communities.
Parkside Yeronga
In EDQ’s Parkside Yeronga precinct, JGL Properties is delivering 12 freehold terrace homes which were inspired by those at Carseldine Village and 25 town homes that collectively reinterpret the traditional Queenslander for urban infill. Positioned for strong capital growth in Brisbane’s inner south, the precinct responds to demand for well-located, low-maintenance homes, close to schools, shops, and major transport connections.
The success of Parkside Yeronga is really about the collaboration with EDQ, who secured this unused parcel of land, overlaid it with a Priority Development Area, set up the infrastructure, and allowed the private sector to overlay development and investment.
John Livingstone
Managing Director, JGL Properties
Aura, Caloundra South
In collaboration with Stockland, EDQ is supporting one of Queensland’s largest terrace housing programs at Aura, within our Caloundra South PDA. Annual terrace sales have grown from 120 to 200 since 2024, driven by strong demand for low-maintenance, affordable homes that appeal to a diverse range of buyers – from young families to downsizers. The addition of a fourth builder partner has boosted delivery capacity, while smart design features – including front- and rear-loaded access – allow for lower entry prices without compromising functionality or amenity.
Across Queensland, EDQ is working with the private sector to reduce delivery risks, respond to local housing needs, and fast-track supply.
Strategic planning that supports industry to deliver
Affordability is best delivered through early planning, clear infrastructure coordination, and practical models that the market can deliver at scale.
EDQ is enabling this by:
- Unlocking land aligned with infrastructure planning
- Supporting industry to innovate while remaining commercially viable
- Facilitating housing that is affordable to purchase and live in, and reflects Queensland’s climate, community expectations, and way of life
By aligning government planning with industry delivery, EDQ is helping bring more affordable, liveable homes to Queenslanders – now and into the future.
