New research released today by the Property Council of Australia shows the Gold Coast will not meet future long-term apartment demand without further improvements to project feasibility if early signs of an apartment construction recovery are to be realised.
The Property Council's latest Gold Coast Apartment Pipeline Report conducted by leading property consultancy Urbis found that the Gold Coast registered just 2,431 new apartments and townhouses in 2025. The figures represent a 6.3 per cent decline from 2024 and fell short of Gold Coast targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan.
The report also found that while the near-term pipeline had increased with 24 new project launches in 2025, around 60 per cent of apartments due for completion in 2028 and 2029 are considered at moderate or high risk of delay or withdrawal.
Property Council Queensland Executive Director Jess Caire said the research reinforced that progress was possible, but that renewed efforts in policy reform were required if the Gold Coast was to overcome construction cost and feasibility hurdles.
"There are some positive signs in this year's data, including an uplift in project launches through 2025 and stronger completion numbers forecast for 2026 and 2027," Ms Caire said.
"We know that the State Government is increasingly focused on housing supply right across Queensland. That's why we're calling for the successful Residential Activation Fund to be made permanent and to make it easier for apartment projects to access that funding so essential upgrades can be made to power, water and road infrastructure."
Urbis Director Paul Riga said the Gold Coast continued to benefit from strong underlying demand from buyers, but that did not remove the delivery risks facing future apartment supply.
"The Gold Coast apartment market has held up relatively well, supported in part by premium projects and consistent buyer demand," Mr Riga said.
"But when you look beyond the projects already underway, the picture becomes more uncertain. Approvals have been volatile, delivery timeframes have lengthened, and a significant share of future stock is still exposed to delay or withdrawal."
"That means the real consequences of today's constraints are likely to be felt over the next several years, both in the availability of new apartments for purchasers and in the broader housing market."
Ms Caire said persistent cost pressures and labour constraints continued to weigh heavily on project feasibility. The report found the Gold Coast's overall unemployment rate sat at 3.4 per cent in the last quarter of 2025, while national construction industry unemployment was at 2.1 per cent – reflecting ongoing workforce shortages across the sector. It also showed cost escalation in Queensland's residential construction market had jumped by 6.4 per cent since the last report in June 2025.
"Unfortunately, these are exactly the kinds of market conditions that make apartment projects harder to get out of the ground," Ms Caire said.
"We cannot address housing choice, affordability or supply challenges at the scale required without more apartments being built. The data in this report reinforces that everything must be on the table to give apartment projects the best chance of succeeding."
Slow progress in build-to-rent projects on the Gold Coast was also highlighted in the research, with the approved pipeline falling from around 1,700 apartments last year to 850 this year. Only one project is currently under construction, due for completion in 2028.
In addition to funding for water, power and road upgrades to service new apartment projects, the Property Council also doubled down on its calls for a more competitive state tax system to remove current investment handbrakes making it harder to fund projects in Queensland.
The peak body also emphasised the importance of clear strategic planning in providing strong guidance from the State Government and Gold Coast City Council in delivering new apartment supply.
""New apartments are a critical component of the Gold Coast's overall housing mix," Ms Caire said.
"Ongoing efforts to deliver a clearer, simpler, quicker planning system through a review of South East Queensland's Regional Plan and Council's Local Growth Management Strategy are vital to ensure the right settings are in place to get more apartments built."
