Over 5,500 homes unlocked across 9 sites

Over 5,500 homes unlocked across 9 sites through the Land Activation Program, to date

Queensland continues to face a significant housing and land supply challenge, with industry research identifying a forecast supply gap of approximately 74,000 homes over the next five years. (UDIA State of the Land 2025 Report)

To help address this challenge and ensure more Queenslanders have a place to call home, Economic Development Queensland launched the nation-leading Land Activation Program (LAP) in February 2026.

The program is focused on unlocking underutilised government-owned land and accelerating housing delivery through innovative partnerships with industry and government agencies. By using Economic Development Queensland’s (EDQ’s) planning expertise and unique powers, the program is transforming underutilised and, in some cases, long-vacant sites into development opportunities that can deliver homes sooner.

Unlocking homes for Queenslanders

Since launching in October 2025, the Land Activation Program is delivering strong results and building a substantial pipeline of future housing opportunities.

To date:

Over 8,000 anticipated homes have been identified across the program pipeline;
9 sites have entered active market processes covering over 30 hectares of land, delivering up to 5,754 homes;
7 sites have transferred to EDQ ownership to enable progression;
4 sites are progressing through contracting; and
Works have commenced at Pimlico in Townsville.

These outcomes demonstrate the important role the program is playing in unlocking development-ready land and creating opportunities for industry to deliver homes at pace and scale.

Montague Road precinct render at dusk showing multi-level buildings, landscaped green spaces and open areas with people dining and walking along pathways

The former Visy glass recycling facility at Montague Road, South Brisbane is being unlocked through the Land Activation Program to support a future mixed-use precinct ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The current site is pictured on the left, with a render on the right showing the future scale of the precinct. Render image credit: Lendlease

Strong industry response

The Land Activation Program has generated significant interest from industry.

As at June 2026, EDQ had received 191 submissions through the Land Activation Program market portal across 23 local government areas and 26 landowner agencies.

The response highlights industry’s appetite to partner with government to identify underutilised sites that can be activated for housing outcomes. Submissions have been received from metropolitan, regional and growth areas across Queensland, reinforcing the program’s potential to unlock opportunities across the state.

Fast-tracking housing through planning innovation

Alongside site identification and market engagement, EDQ is using its planning instruments to accelerate housing delivery and remove barriers for industry.

A key component of this approach is the use of Provisional Priority Development Areas (PPDAs), which provide an accelerated planning pathway for sites requiring a fast-tracked solution. PPDAs enable a Provisional Land Use Plan to take effect immediately, providing greater certainty for industry while still allowing opportunities for community consultation.

In May 2026, EDQ declared a tranche of Land Activation Program-related PPDAs covering sites at Banyo, South Brisbane’s Montague Road, Turbot Street and Meadowbrook. Learn more about this PPDA.

The use of PPDAs aligns with EDQ’s focus on removing unnecessary barriers, overcoming complex planning challenges and creating development-ready opportunities that support the delivery of homes faster.

Development opportunities released to market

Since February, EDQ has progressively released a range of development opportunities to market, including:

Banyo
Hervey Bay
Highgate Hill
Mango Hill
Montague Road, South Brisbane (former Visy site)
Turbot Street
Varsity Lakes
Wynnum West
Pimlico

These opportunities are located in established communities close to transport, employment, education and community infrastructure, helping ensure new housing is delivered in locations where Queenslanders want to live.

Several of these sites have already achieved significant milestones, with preferred proponents selected and contract negotiations progressing across multiple opportunities.

Case study: Unlocking housing opportunities at Banyo

Banyo represents one of the program’s earliest success stories. The former Energex depot was determined to be surplus to government needs in 2016, before being decommissioned and demolished. The site has remained vacant since it was decommissioned.

Located in a predominantly residential area 13km from Brisbane City, the 6.4ha site is within walking distance of a train station and shops, and is close to public facilities including a library and schools.

EDQ identified the significant infill site as an opportunity to support housing delivery certainty through its planning pathway and support for enabling infrastructure.

The site is now expected to deliver 451 homes and support more than 800 Queenslanders to have a place to call home, including first home buyers, affordable key workers and seniors.

Following a competitive market process, EDQ will work with AR Developments, Mission Australia Housing and Rockpool Residential Aged Care across three development lots to deliver a mix of townhomes, key worker housing and a residential aged care facility.

The project demonstrates how the Land Activation Program can transform underutilised government-owned land into a diverse housing opportunity that responds to local needs while increasing housing supply. By partnering with industry, EDQ is helping maximise the housing opportunity for State owned land that supports future growth and liveability unique to the Banyo neighbourhood.

Learn more about Banyo.

L: 2026 aerial of the site
R: Artist impression showing the mix of townhomes, key worker housing and residential aged care

Case study: Industry-led site identification

One of the most innovative aspects of the Land Activation Program is the opportunity for industry to nominate government-owned sites for consideration.

Through the market portal, industry has identified opportunities across Queensland that may otherwise not have been considered for housing delivery. This collaborative approach allows EDQ to leverage industry knowledge and market insights to identify land capable of supporting future housing outcomes.

An example is the 1.2ha site at 35 Crawford Road, Wynnum West, which was submitted by multiple industry stakeholders as a suitable Land Activation Program site with strong potential to support housing delivery in Brisbane’s growing eastern suburbs. The Department of Housing and Public Works has been vacant since 1981.

Following identification through the Land Activation Program, the Crawford Road site has now progressed to a Request for Proposal process, with EDQ seeking suitable proponents to help deliver new housing outcomes on this site.

Expected to deliver up to 55 new homes for more than 150 Queenslanders, the site is well located close to a childcare centre, Lindum train station, a local shopping centre and the public foreshore.

The Wynnum West project highlights EDQ’s proactive approach to working with industry and government landowner agencies to identify and accelerate housing opportunities across Queensland. Through the Land Activation Program, underutilised land is being assessed and brought forward for housing, with industry insights, landowner partnerships and EDQ’s planning and development expertise helping unlock development-ready sites. Projects such as Crawford Road demonstrate how collaboration can translate latent land opportunities into real housing outcomes for Queenslanders.

Learn more and submit your interest: Wynnum West.

Aerial image showing the Wynnum West site, which is close to a childcare centre, Lindum train station, a local shopping centre and the Wynnum foreshore

Looking ahead

The Land Activation Program will continue to evolve throughout 2026, with additional sites progressing to market.

As Queensland continues to grow, EDQ remains focused on unlocking underutilised land, removing barriers to development and delivering homes at pace and scale to support the government’s commitment to deliver one million homes by 2044.