PEOPLE will continue to flood into southeast Queensland, but they are not coming for huge numbers of high-density apartments being constructed around the region.
An extra two million people are expected to move to the region in the next 25 years, and research shows Queenslanders would prefer to live in homes on larger blocks in outer suburbs rather than moving into an inner-city unit.
The rapid population growth of the region would require 900,000 more homes to be built by 2041.
State Government research obtained by The Courier-Mail shows Queenslanders are still deeply attached to the dream of living in their own home on a big block of land.
It found 59 per cent of those surveyed would prefer to live further out from the city in lower-density housing.
Just under a quarter wanted to live closer to the city in an apartment, while 17 per cent had no preference.
Living further out from the city in a bigger property was the first choice of 44 per cent of respondents.
Thirty-eight per cent preferred to live closer to the city but in a smaller home, while 18 per cent were undecided.
The research – a telephone survey of 1000 randomly selected people – shows the difficulty the State Government will have developing its updated southeast Queensland regional plan and balancing the wishes of local communities against limiting urban sprawl and providing adequate transport infrastructure.
It comes as the State Government has started a six-week community consultation process to get feedback on what issues were important to Queenslanders.
Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jackie Trad said over the next six weeks southeast Queenslanders could get involved in the process by visiting “ideas hubs” at community events or submitting feedback online.
The study lends strength to another set of figures which shows the top end of the residential market is under pressure as jobs for high-fliers disappear from the Brisbane CBD.
A top economist from one of the Big Four banks has warned that Brisbane faces a 20 per cent commercial vacancy rate in the CBD which has flowed through to the residential market.
Owners of top-end properties have been forced to sell homes or drop rental asking prices as high-flying executives choose to move rather than take a pay cut to remain in Brisbane.
Jennifer Grainger of SPACE Property Agents said lack of tenants was affecting “all leasing in all price ranges”.
“There are less people coming here,” she said.
For more information on the revised southeast Queensland regional plan visit: qld.gov.au/shapingSEQ
Originally Published On: http://www.couriermail.com.au/