Council stands firm on housing targets claim
Redland City Council 16 Sep 2022

Redland City Council stands firm on the claim it is meeting its housing targets as set by the State Government.

Mayor Karen Williams said State Government reports showed Council was in fact exceeding their targets.

“In 2017, the State’s regional plan Shaping SEQ identified Redland City as needing to provide 17,200 additional dwellings by 2041,” she said.

“In December last year, the State’s Land Supply and Development Monitoring Report indicated that Redland, with 6000 dwellings already completed since 2016, would now need capacity for 11,200 new dwellings by 2041.

“Again, their own figures released that same month showed Redland City has capacity for more than 43,000 new dwellings – almost four times what is required.

“I don’t understand why our small Council is being singled out, when this city is accommodating about 1000 new dwellings of all types each year.”

Redland City is accommodating about 1000 new dwellings of all types each year.

Cr Williams said a housing strategy was not a legislative requirement for councils.

“It is, however, a legislative requirement to have a planning scheme, or City Plan, which needs to be underpinned by evidence of housing requirements,” she said.

“The State Government signed off on our City Plan in 2018 based on our 2011 housing strategy, which takes us to 2031.”

Cr Williams said the Redlands community was adamant in demanding any population growth needed to be accompanied by critical state infrastructure such as roads, hospitals and schools.

“Now is the time for all levels of government to work together to ensure residents have somewhere to live while meeting their social needs and protecting their quality of life,” she said.

“I put a proposal to the Deputy Premier on Wednesday that would help achieve just that.

“The proposal aims to link infrastructure and growth and offers the Redlands as a pilot that links State Government housing targets with the roads, hospitals and public transport needed by the people who will live in those homes.

“This morning I have again asked the Deputy Premier to consider this proposal and he has given a commitment to speak with his department about it.”