Nearly a dozen houses slated for demolition as part of a Queensland rail upgrade will instead be relocated to create more social housing. 

The homes were originally to be knocked down to make way for the Logan Rail Corridor. 

Now, they’re in the process of being moved to state-owned land, with one having already made its way to its new location. 

“When we found out these homes were suitable for relocation, we jumped at the chance to repurpose them for social housing,” Queensland Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon said. 

“Whether it’s through moving homes earmarked for demolition or repurposing retirement homes – we’re putting all options on the table to help Queenslanders.”

One of the houses has already put down roots in Sunnybank, around 20 minutes from Brisbane’s CBD.

A contract to move another has been awarded, while tenders to move the nine remaining houses remain open.

Repurposing disused building for affordable housing

Asset repurposing was one of five ‘alternative’ solutions for the housing crisis put forward by PRD earlier this year. 

Overseas, turning disused buildings into affordable housing isn’t new. 

In Brussels, a disused soap factory is now home to social housing studios and small houses, while the site of a former primary school hosts a partially-affordable housing development in the UK.

Back home, the likes of Sydney’s Queenscliff project – being developed by the NSW Government’s land and property development organisation Landcom – are kicking off. 

The project aims to transform the former Queenscliff Community Health Centre into 37 apartments, at least 12 of which will be provided as affordable housing.

“Repurposing and reusing buildings is on everyone's radar”, Landcom director of affordable housing Janelle Goulding told Savings.com.au.

“It’s particularly helpful when it comes to delivering housing quickly. But also when you have a building with existing infrastructure, with everything you need, you’d be silly not to use it.” 

Meanwhile, disused infrastructure could be turned into shared housing for sections of the population most at risk of homelessness, Ms Goulding said.

Women over 55 years, for instance, are the fastest growing cohort at risk of homelessness.

Meanwhile, more Australian families appear willing to take up apartment living. 

At the same time, multi-generational families are becoming more common, with more housing models supporting adult children residing in the same house as their parents.

“What we’re seeing is a very different trend in the way people are living,” Ms Goulding said.

Another emerging innovative housing model hoping to alleviate housing stress is build-to-rent developments, many of which are slated to at least partially incorporate affordable housing.

“We live in a country where home ownership is the be all and end all but people are realising that, as long as you have secure housing, it doesn’t matter if you own it or rent it,” Ms Goulding said.

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