Catalyst Infrastructure Fund

Strong population growth continues to drive demand for more diverse and affordable housing options across South-East Queensland (SEQ) and is creating pressure for new land to be bought to the market in a timely way.

In a number of EDQ’s PDAs, particularly the large new greenfield communities, development has advanced significantly over recent years. Ongoing rapid delivery of urban land in these PDAs is becoming constrained by the need for significant infrastructure delivery, often beyond the financial capability of any one developer.

EDQ’s Infrastructure Funding Framework (IFF) and Catalyst Infrastructure Funding (CIF) process provide mechanisms to fund infrastructure necessary to catalyse development in Greenfield PDAs which would not otherwise occur. This in turn stimulates private sector development and investment and facilitates affordable housing generating job opportunities and economic development. The CIF supports the place-based outcomes in the EDQ Strategic Plan through the planning, funding and delivery of timely catalytic infrastructure and to create opportunities to address affordability, supply and diversity of housing.

For approved co-investment projects, funds will be provided by the Queensland Government on a low interest loan basis. The loan is generally serviced through the payment of quarantined catalyst infrastructure charges, secured through legal agreement and other securities.

The CIF was announced on 9 June 2022, and ultimately provided $171.2 million in funding to help unlock land for housing in areas experiencing growth pressures, by providing co-investment through low interest loans to accelerate the delivery of essential infrastructure within Priority Development Areas (PDAs).

The CIF was particularly targeted at investment in the greenfield PDAs of Ripley Valley and Greater Flagstone. The CIF funding will bring forward the delivery of significant tranches of trunk infrastructure to unlock land for housing and create long term employment. The CIF will help deliver land required for residential development by funding this catalyst infrastructure through partnering with councils, developers and industry, to invest in infrastructure projects that unlock development and create construction and long-term employment.

Submissions for funding closed on 30 September 2022 with proposals received from agencies and developers in the Greater Flagstone and Ripley Valley PDAs with the total infrastructure expenditure proposed by the applications likely to accelerate the delivery of up to 59,000 lots.

The CIF 2022 Guidelines and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) sheet were developed to assist proponents with the development and lodgement of applications.

EDQ is currently working with applicants to finalise the execution of CIF Infrastructure Agreements for successful projects.