The Courier Mail
26 March 2025
Nicholas Finch
Queensland renters will have a chance at inner-city living for an affordable price, with 95 new homes on their way for people on a lower budget.
Developers Pellicano and Perri Projects have partnered with designers at Mas Architecture Studio and town planners at Property Projects Australia, to build a 35-floor complex filled with 440 built-to-rent homes.
95 of these homes will be available for rent at 75 per cent of the market value, on offer exclusively for people whose income falls below a certain pay bracket.
A currently unnamed development at 148 Logan Rd, Woolloongabba.
The development is a joint effort between Pellicano, Perri Projects, Mas Architecture Studio and Property Projects Australia.
Located at 148 Logan Rd, Woolloongabba, the tower was the first development to receive private approval under the state government’s new pathway for developing homes.
Mas Architecture managing director Nick Symonds said their team was able to get their project approved faster through this new system, where the company had their project assessed by a specialised team rather than communicating with the local council.
“We saved about 9 months of waiting,” he said. “We completed our design within six weeks, and we received approval a couple of months after that.”
“I think it will stimulate others in the area to do the same thing.”
Minister for Housing and Public Works, Sam O’Connor, Mas Architecture managing director Nick Symonds and Perri Projects managing director David Scalzo.
The project will now go into the next stage of development, with construction hoped to begin in early 2026 for an early 2028 completion.
This fast-track system is reportedly designed for companies making developments that meet government goals, such as more affordable housing supply and urban renewal.
Minister for Housing Sam O’Connor said projects such as this represented new opportunities for Queensland’s rising population.
“This development will not only provide much-needed affordable housing for Queenslanders, but it also contributes to the revitalisation of Woolloongabba, aligning with our government’s commitment to urban renewal and sustainable development,” he said.
The project received fast-tracked approval from the state government, working with private companies to provide new developments on a shorter time frame.
Pellicano Managing Director Nando Pellicano said this tower was a “significant” step in the company’s larger plan within Queensland, and offered availability to a greater demographic of residents.
“It opens up another part of the market,” he said, “and allows people in a different salary bracket to access these types of residential apartments.”
The development will feature 349 parking spaces, five basement levels, a multi-level wellness centre and several living spaces throughout the complex.
The project seeks to provide 95 homes to rent at a more affordable price near the city, with the potential for more if the development is successful.
It is part of Pellicano’s larger $1b development project throughout southeast Queensland, designed to feature eight towers and more than 1,200 apartment units.
Mr Pellicano added that other affordable housing opportunities will be considered in future projects if this development proved successful.
Pricing and opportunities to secure a home will be available closer to the project’s completion in 2027.
Mas Architecture has several other projects in the works across greater Brisbane, including plans for a 10-storey development at Wellington Rd, East Brisbane.