Unlocking faith-based and charity-owned land for community housing

The Queensland Government has amended the state’s planning framework to unlock faith-based and charity-owned land for community housing.

The changes are aligned to the Government’s commitment to scale up the supply of housing stock across the state, meeting the demands of Queensland’s growing population.

To unlock the land, the Planning Regulation 2017 was amended under the Planning Amendment Regulation (No.2) 2024 (Amendment Regulation) to allow community housing providers access to build affordable housing on faith-based and charity-owned land.

As part of the amendments made to the planning framework, a streamlined Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) pathway for social and/or affordable housing has also been introduced with supporting materials.

Summary of amendments to Planning Regulation 2017

The Amendment Regulation includes amendments to:

• amend schedule 5, item 16, to make it clear that non-for-profit and charitable organisations registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission may access the MID process. This will allow registered faith-based organisations and charities to seek approval from the state for the development of social and affordable housing on their land.
• amend schedule 2 to change the State-wide Community facilities zone purpose statement, to include 100 per cent affordable housing on faith-based and charity-owned land as acceptable in the zone.
• amend schedule 6 to introduce new provisions to allow existing faith-based and charity dwellings such as caretaker residences and presbyteries to be repurposed as housing without the need for a development application.

Model code – Community housing in the Community facilities zone

To continue delivering on its commitment to unlock more housing for Queenslanders, the Queensland Government has partnered with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) to co-design a Model code for Community housing in the Community facilities zone (the Model Code) as an opt-in tool to support local government.

The Model Code is non-statutory and provides local government with a set of example provisions that can be integrated into a local planning scheme with or without local refinements. The Model Code provides flexibility for local governments so they can tailor the provisions to their specific community needs.

The Model Code provisions aim to facilitate community housing in the Community facilities zone, where the housing will:

• be well-located and well-designed for resident needs
• be compatible with the nature of the existing or intended community facility, so its operation will be effectively maintained now and into the future
• be integrated with the surrounding neighbourhood
• maintain the capacity of the Community facilities zone to accommodate the current and intended community facility needs of the community.

Implementation guidance is available to assist local governments in considering how to implement the Model Code into their local planning scheme.

Local governments that decide to adopt the Model Code may do so through a streamlined planning scheme amendment under section 18 of the Planning Act 2016.

The Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning has also prepared other supplementary material that local governments may wish to consider in preparing a streamlined planning scheme amendment to adopt the Model Code.  These include:

• Implementation guidance for the Model Code – Community housing in the Community facilities zone
• Example plan-making material – Model Code – Community housing in the Community facilities zone

Our department’s regional offices can provide local governments with further assistance about the plan-making process and any materials they may need.

Further information

A copy of the Amendment Regulation, as well as its accompanying explanatory notes, is now available.