- New Halls Creek Priority Development Area declared to deliver up to 12,000 new homes on the southern Sunshine Coast.
- Declaration follows Commonwealth Government Environmental Protection Biodiversity Protection approval.
- The Crisafulli Government is building Queensland's future after a decade of decline under Labor which saw Queenslanders locked out of the housing market as vacancy rates plummeted to record-lows.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering a place to call home for more Queenslanders, unlocking 12,000 houses by declaring a new Priority Development Area on the southern Sunshine Coast.
The new Halls Creek Priority Development Area encompasses more than 1,200 hectares south of Caloundra and will support streamlined delivery of thousands of new homes, community facilities, green space and sites for new local businesses.
An Early Release Area will fast-track approximately 1,000 new homes and include a range of housing, to ease Labor's Housing Crisis.
Declaring the site a Priority Development Area will support the coordinated planning and delivery of housing, infrastructure and community facilities to help meet the Sunshine Coast's future housing needs after the area was ignored by Labor for a decade.
Development of the site was also recently granted Federal Environmental Protection Biodiversity Protection (EPBC) approval.
The declaration will continue the evolution of the area as a growing destination to live, work and raise a family.
Economic Development Queensland recently approved nearly 2,900 homes in the neighbouring Caloundra South Priority Development Area, bringing the number of homes in Stockland's Aura development to 7,000.
Together, the Halls Creek declaration and Aura approval demonstrate the Crisafulli Government's commitment to tackle Labor's Housing Crisis and deliver a place to call home for more Queenslanders.
Preparation of the Development Scheme for Halls Creek will now begin, with public consultation planned for later this year to help shape the long-term planning of the new community.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said the declaration was an important milestone in planning for the Sunshine Coast's future growth.
"This is the next step in the evolution of the southern Sunshine Coast as a growing community for families and businesses, and the Crisafulli Government is ensuring the homes, facilities and infrastructure are in place and fast tracked," Deputy Premier Bleijie said.
"After Labor's decade of decline, which saw housing lot approvals slump by 29 per cent, leading to record-low rental vacancy rates, a skyrocketing social housing waitlist and the lowest home ownership rate in the country, this new community has the potential to deliver up to 12,000 homes, supported by the schools, parks, jobs and community facilities needed to create a thriving place to live.
"The Crisafulli Government is pulling every lever it can to address Labor's Housing Crisis, and this is the fourth Priority Development Area we have declared in less than two years to ensure supply is unlocked, so more Queenslanders can have a place to call home.
"Communities like Halls Creek, together with the neighbouring Caloundra South Priority Development Area, will play an important role as we work towards our target of delivering one million homes by 2044 and tackling Labor's Housing Crisis."
Member for Caloundra Kendall Hatcher said the declaration was an exciting milestone for the community as it continued to grow.
"Something special is taking shape in Caloundra and the new Halls Creek Priority Development Area will help deliver thousands of new homes, quality community facilities, and opportunities for local businesses. We're providing the planning framework needed to support our growing community and bring these projects to life sooner," Mrs Hatcher said.
"After being ignored by the former Labor Government for so long, the Crisafulli Government is delivering the homes and infrastructure this growing and incredible community deserves."
Housing Industry Association Executive Director Michael Roberts welcomed the Crisafulli Government's announcement to unlock and fast track more homes.
"Improving housing supply is essential to keeping the Sunshine Coast affordable and accessible for local workers, young people, families and older residents," Mr Roberts said.
"HIA members continue to report that the chronic shortage of shovel ready land on the Sunshine Coast is constraining the pipeline of new homes, making it difficult to respond to demand, so anything that can unlock land and get homes out of the ground faster is welcome."
Stockland's Queensland Development General Manager David Laner said the Halls Creek Priority Development Area (PDA) was an important step towards unlocking new housing supply, essential infrastructure, jobs, and long-term economic benefits for the region.
"We welcome the Queensland Government's declaration of the Halls Creek PDA, which recognises the site's strategic location and ability to leverage existing and planned state infrastructure, including the Wave heavy rail project and regional road upgrades.
"The PDA has the potential to support a well-planned community that delivers new housing, employment opportunities, schools, open space and conservation outcomes, while helping accommodate the growth needed to maximise major regional investments and support the Sunshine Coast's role in the lead up to and beyond the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
