FAQs

PDAs are parcels of land within Queensland, identified for development to deliver significant benefits to the community. Further information relating to PDAs can be found here.

The previous Woolloongabba Cross River Rail (CRR) PDA was declared on 3 April 2020 and has been revoked.  The new expanded Woolloongabba PDA has been declared which encompasses a larger part of Woolloongabba, Kangaroo Point, East Brisbane, South Bank and the Stanley Street precinct. 

The new expanded PDA will see the Woolloongabba precinct, CRR and the Brisbane Metro connected to South Bank and Brisbane CBD via a walkable, active travel corridor to South Bank and Brisbane City Council’s new green bridge. 

Cross River Rail and the Brisbane Metro will anchor a major redevelopment of Woolloongabba to maximise the benefit of public investment and deliver more housing including social and affordable housing, more jobs, and better connectivity.

On 22 September 2023, the Minister for Economic Development Queensland (MEDQ) declared a new Woolloongabba PDA which optimises key objectives including:

• enabling greater planning cohesion and integration, connecting significant precincts to the city, new public transport nodes and the wider evolving urban fabric
• alignment with other State priorities such as affordable and social housing provision, high-value job creation and improved amenity for community enjoyment 
• leveraging significant State investment in major infrastructure such as CRR and Brisbane Metro.
• delivery of Brisbane 2032 legacy outcomes through precinct revitalisation and urban renewal.

Under the Economic Development Act 2012, the process involves:

1. revoking the existing Woolloongabba Cross River Rail PDA
2. declaring a new, larger PDA and implementing an Interim Land Use Plan at the same time
3. preparing a Development Scheme, which includes public consultation.

The department has started this process.

An Interim Land Use Plan or ‘ILUP’ is a temporary planning document which regulates development within a PDA in an interim capacity until a Development Scheme is finalised. The Woolloongabba PDA ILUP came into effect on (22 September 2023) for a period of 12-months, unless a Development Scheme for the PDA is finalised earlier.

The ILUP has been prepared to provide an interim planning and development framework for the Woolloongabba PDA whilst detailed planning and community engagement is completed as part of the Development Scheme process. Unlike a Development Scheme, an ILUP is not subject to community consultation, therefore, the previous planning provisions have been carried over to the interim planning and development framework to align with current community expectations. 

Specifically, the land within Precincts 1 & 2 largely reflect the provisions of the previous Woolloongabba CRR PDA. The remainder of the PDA shown as Precinct 3, expands beyond the boundaries of the previous Woolloongabba CRR PDA. Accordingly, this precinct maintains existing land use planning policies, as expressed in the Brisbane City Plan 2014. 

It is anticipated that major urban renewal and precinct revitalisation will be reflected in the proposed Development Scheme that will undergo public consultation in accordance with the Economic Development Act 2012. 

It is estimated that it will take 12-months to finalise a Development Scheme for the Woolloongabba PDA. The Development Scheme for the Woolloongabba PDA is anticipated to be finalised by September 2024.

Yes. Once a proposed Development Scheme has been prepared, the community will be invited to provide feedback and have their say. 

It is anticipated that that public consultation about the proposed Development Scheme will commence in May 2024.

Additionally in late 2023, EDQ will be undertaking research, through a survey, to gauge the community’s understanding of precincts and what the PDA means for them.

To be notified about upcoming engagement opportunities, please register here on the Have Your Say site and follow this Woolloongabba PDA project page. 

Community consultation is a statutory requirement under the Economic Development Act 2012.

The public consultation period will run for a minimum of 30 business days, and is designed to enable the community to have their say by making a submission about a proposed development scheme, so that community feedback can be invited and considered as part of the Development Scheme preparation process. 

The public consultation period is anticipated to commence in May 2024.

Prior to public consultation, EDQ will be engaging with stakeholders via a survey and meetings to help them understand what a revitalised Woolloongabba means for them, inform them about public consultation processes and answer questions about the PDA.

To find about upcoming engagement activities please register and follow the Woolloongabba PDA Have Your Say page.

Yes, the EDQ website contains information about making a submission about a proposed Development Scheme, which you can access here.

All land within the PDA is now regulated through the PDA planning and assessment framework, under the Economic Development Act 2012  rather than planning and assessment frameworks in effect prior to the PDA declaration (i.e. Brisbane City Council’s planning scheme, known as Brisbane City Plan 2014).

The Economic Development Act 2012  does not provide compulsory land acquisition powers.

Development applications can be submitted for any land located within a PDA in accordance with the planning and assessment framework in place at the time of lodgement.

For more information, please visit EDQ’s development applications and assessment webpage found here. Applicants are encouraged to utilise EDQ’s pre-lodgement service prior to submitting an application. 

Existing development approvals are not impacted by the declaration of a PDA. Also, development applications lodged with Brisbane City Council prior to the declaration of the PDA will continue to be assessed by Brisbane City Council under its planning and assessment framework.

Any development applications lodged after the date of declaration (22 September 2023) and within the Woolloongabba PDA boundary will be assessed by the Minister of Economic Development Queensland against the planning and assessment framework in force at the time of lodgement.

It is important to note that any development applications lodged with Brisbane City Council prior to the declaration of the PDA will continue to be assessed by Brisbane City Council under its planning and assessment framework.

Whilst the above commitments pre-date the Deputy Premier’s announcement about an expanded PDA and the declaration of the new Woolloongabba PDA, the Queensland Government remains dedicated to its commitments. The Woolloongabba PDA presents greater opportunities to enable superior open space and social and affordable housing outcomes within the area.

Raymond Park falls outside of the PDA boundary.

The decision relating to the East Brisbane State School is a matter for the Queensland Department of Education and information relating to the East Brisbane State School can be found here.