The Queensland Government’s ShapingSEQ 2023 anticipates that the region could grow from 3.8 million people to around six million by 2046—requiring almost 900,000 additional homes and almost one million additional jobs.
That scale of change demands more than dwelling targets. Housing, transport, employment, health, education and public space must be designed as one connected system across Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba.
The second-order risk is clear: if housing supply expands without comparable access to services and opportunity, an apparently affordable home can create higher lifetime costs through long commutes, transport dependence and reduced participation.
The preferred future is a polycentric region: distinct urban centres connected by reliable transport, diverse housing and strong local economies. Density then becomes a means of improving access—not an end in itself.
What measure of access should every major housing decision in South East Queensland be required to improve?
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Originally published on LinkedIn: Dr Colin Russo on LinkedIn