ALMOST $6 million worth of public housing is underway or about to start in the Redlands.
Capalaba MP Don Brown said it was a significant body of work which would provide jobs for about 100 tradies across the Redlands.
“These projects are building more than just homes, they’re supporting job opportunities for local tradespeople,” Mr Brown said.
“These homes are built to high standards of accessibility, which is important when it comes to making sure that our seniors and Queenslanders with a disability have secure places to live in our communities.
“Combined, these projects will see more than 20 new homes built before the end of June next year.’’
Projects include Queen Street Cleveland where a 12-unit housing development will inject $2.9 million into the local construction industry.
“This project will provide a minimum 1044 hours of training for six local apprentices and trainees and is due for completion in December,’’ Mr Brown said. “Half the units would be built with special safety and accessibility designs.
“New parents, seniors and people with a disability will benefit from key easy living design features including wider hallways, level thresholds, grab rails and extra clearance spaces.’’
A second project at Pittwin Road, Capalaba, was worth $2.7 million and was an 11 unit development. Construction was due to start in November by Cleveland-based Hometown Villas
A public housing project also would start at Valantine Road, Birkdale, with 12 apartments, consisting of six, one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units over four, two-storey buildings.
Mr Brown said a tender had not yet been awarded but the project was scheduled to start in early November.
It comes as Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announces incentives to encourage more retirement village and aged care development.
Incentives include a three-year, one-third reduction in infrastructure charges and an additional two-storey allowance in medium and high density locations if best practice design standards are met.
Research released by the Property Council last year found that Australia will face a seniors’ housing crisis without urgent change to state and local planning systems to enable the development of more retirement villages, places which are a feature of the Redlands.
Property Council Queensland executive director Chris Mountford said that by 2025, demand for retirement living accommodation for people aged over 65 was expected to double.
“But at the current rate of development, there will simply not be enough supply of retirement communities to meet demand,” Mr Mountford said.
