Unlocking Housing Supply in Greater Brisbane
Housing supply is an ongoing challenge in Greater Brisbane, as the residential construction industry continues to play “catch up” with increasing demand and projected population growth. Post-COVID 2021 was a key year in this balance, where population growth increased significantly and residential construction plateaued.
Resurrection of residential projects is evident in 2023; however, the momentum did not hold in 2024 and 2025.
The projected dwelling needs in Greater Brisbane by 2046 outpaces planned ready-to-sell stock significantly, putting Greater Brisbane in a continuous state of being structurally undersupplied. This does create a resilient property market in Greater Brisbane, which will benefit current owners, mortgage holders, and investors. However, it creates a significant for first home buyers and others who are looking to enter the market.
By 2046, Greater Brisbane is projected to be home to over 3.8million residents, with a projected dwelling need of more than 550,000 homes. And yet, as of February 2026, there are only 46,455 homes approved for construction.
This paper identifies several potential sites, those that the authorities (i.e Local and State Governments) may have missed; and evaluates how these sites can add to the housing supply in Greater Brisbane. This includes:
- 347 Newman Rd & 349 Newman Rd, Geebung
- 149-150 Ferguson Rd, Camp Hill/ Ferguson Road Park
- 222 Stanworth Rd, Boondall
- 1028 Johnson Road Rd, Greenbank
- 1666 Old Cleveland Rd, Chandler
- 469 Compton Rd, Runcorn
- 102-106/ 108-112 Wembley Rd, Logan Central
- 183 Dawson Parade, Keperra
- 40 Ellison Parade, Mango Hill
The identified sites have the potential for a myriad of developments, including (but not limited to): multi-storey residential, townhouses / medium density, new dwellings, a masterplan community, residential subdivision, affordable housing, and a mixed-use residential with retail and/or commercial components.
The report acknowledges challenges that comes with each of the nine sites, such as: zoning issues, noise corridor, environmental overlays, limited transport structure, heritage overlays, and government ownership (for example Commonwealth Government). That said, in an environment where new housing is severely needed, there is a need for radical action and effort from all stakeholders. Otherwise places like Ipswich and Logan, known for its affordability will see many local buyers priced out.
Moving Forward
The Brisbane City Council dominates overall supply and contributes the highest volume in all property types. This includes 33,297 units/apartments, 1,244 townhouses, and 674 dwellings planned for construction between 2026-2029.
There is a large number of vacant land lots planned in Greater Brisbane, 48,775 between 2026-2029. Most are in Logan and Moreton Bay, with 18,954 land lots and 16,201 land lots respectively. However, construction challenges suggest that new housing from this strategy is a long-term realization as opposed to short-term.
The residential construction sector continues to face a myriad of challenges. That said, opportunities exist, with local and state governments releasing programs such as the Land Activation Program, the Residential Activation Fund and others.
Opportunities include:
- Repurposing of many obsolete and/or abandoned buildings, vacant sites and underutilised areas.
- Brisbane City Council (BCC) is currently reviewing Low-Medium Density Residential Zones (14% of BCC’s total residential land), to increase housing supply and density. This includes a reduction of minimum block sizes to 120m2 from 260m2 and increasing building height to 3-4 storeys from the current height of 2-3.
- The Land Activation Program (LAP) is a Queensland State Government initiative to identify, unlock and release underutilised government land for housing. This will accelerate approvals under the Economic Development Act 2012. EDQ released the first tranche of sites to the market earlier this year.
- The Residential Activation Fund (RAF) is a state government grants program which provides funding for trunk and essential infrastructure to unlock residential growth. The second round is currently open.
- ShapingSEQ 2023 - is a regional scale strategic land use and infrastructure planning document identifying future and targeted growth areas, establishing the SEQ Urban Footprint. It is currently under review.
