Unlocking surplus government land for new housing in Queensland

Early this month, the Queensland Government announced the Land Activation Program (LAP) which aims to unlock surplus government land and release it to market for the construction of new houses. Coinciding with this announcement was the release to market of the 6.4 hectare former Energex Depot site in Banyo, which is hoped to supply 400 houses.

The goal is one million new homes by 2044, with the site in Banyo following the Turbot Street and Visy South Brisbane land releases in December 2025.

How can industry get involved?

A key feature of this program is industry involvement, either by registering interest for specific development opportunities or nominating potentially under-utilised government land for consideration by Economic Development Queensland (EDQ).

Any land nominated for the LAP must satisfy the following initial criteria:

• the site is owned by the Queensland Government or related entity and is currently underutilised or surplus
• has the potential to deliver or facilitate the delivery of housing outcomes, including within a mixed-use development
• requires unlocking or activating by EDQ.

If a proposal meets the criteria, EDQ will investigate the site on behalf of the industry proponent and provide advice about the sites’ suitability for the LAP within 30 business days.

Industry participants can submit a site for consideration here.

How is the land unlocked?

Once EDQ determines that the identified surplus government land is suitable for the LAP, it will request that the relevant government entity transfer the land to EDQ. It is understood that the LAP will be exempt from the Queensland Government Land Transaction Policy and allows for land transfers to occur between a Department and EDQ at residual value.

Once the land has been transferred to EDQ, it will be released to the market on its online land listings.

If you require any advice regarding development approvals, please contact a member of our team below. To receive legal insights and updates relevant to Australia’s construction industry, subscribe to our newsletter.

Disclaimer
The information in this article is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavour to provide accurate and timely information, we do not guarantee that the information in this article is accurate at the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future.

Published by:

Wendy Evans

Nicole Besgrove

Stephanie Dee

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