Greens MP's tortured explanation for opposing church plan to build 92 units in her backyard amid housing crisis - even though SHE designed a controversial $375m luxury high-rise in the heart of Brisbane

A Greens MP who helped to design a $375million apartment block where individual units were going for as much as $8million is refusing to back a Uniting Church plan to build 92 units on an abandoned chicken farm.

Elizabeth Watson-Brown was the architect behind 443 Queen Street, a beleaguered building pegged as 'Brisbane's first world-class tower'.

Her party has built its platform advocating stronger rights for tenants and a need for increased affordable social housing, as the market becomes increasingly out of reach for everyday Aussies.

But she is opposed to the Uniting Church's development proposal, which would see 92 new homes, a new park and a road built in the place of one now abandoned chicken farm.

Instead, she wants the lot to be turned into a multi-purpose space - parkland for existing constituents, a community garden or coffee cart, or an arts and cultural hub.

She argues the proposal in its current form would not help to solve the housing problem. The average price of a home in Mitchelton - 20 minutes from Brisbane's CBD - has skyrocketed to almost $1million.

'While the property values as part of this development may be lower than this, they will nonetheless be well out of reach of many everyday Australians attempting to purchase a home,' Ms Watson-Brown said in a letter opposing the plan. She also crafted a template opposition letter for her constituents to fill in and submit.

'This is in the context of a national housing crisis with a shortage of hundreds of thousands of public and affordable homes.'

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia, she added: 'The proposed development on Kooya Rd won't help ease the housing crisis. 

'All it will do is create unsustainable, unaffordable houses far from shops, community facilities and public transport.

'The development should be rejected in its current form and Council should initiate a community vision for affordable housing, public parkland and community facilities on the site.'

A government insider told Daily Mail Australia that 'surely, for a political party that wants to be the party of the renters, this proposal by the Uniting Church would be a welcome increase'.

Ms Watson-Brown was elected at the 2022 election, when the Greens had sweeping success in and around Brisbane, with Max Chandler-Mather and Stephen Bates also winning nearby seats.

She and her husband own three properties - a holiday flat in New South Wales, and one each for residential and investment in Queensland. 

Prior to politics, she was a successful architect, and had a hand in designing the luxury, $375million 443 Queen Street building.

The four-bedroom penthouse of the building was placed on the market in 2019 for a whopping $8million. It came equipped with four car spaces, an electric vehicle charging station, and 3m high ceilings.

It was also awarded a six-star 'Green Star rating' by the Green Building Council of Australia. 

One-bedroom apartments in the building are on the market for between $1.2million and $1.75million, while a two-bedroom apartment would set a buyer back between $2.3million and $3million. 

But the build has been beleaguered by delays and controversy, exacerbated by the collapse of construction company Probuild in February 2022.

The building is due to be completed in late 2023.

In a 2017 interview, Ms Watson-Brown described herself as a 'design collaborator on the project', and said her goal was to 'capitalise on the qualities and climate of Brisbane'.

'The buildings we make become the infrastructure of the lives we share,' she said.

In a video promoting the build, Ms Watson-Brown revealed she would 'certainly be a resident in this building'.

Ms Watson-Brown told Daily Mail Australia: '443 Queen St is a demonstration project for the subtropical urban context - a sustainable, breathable, green urban tower. 

'Similar principles should be applied to an urgent rollout, at a large scale, of medium density public and affordable housing, so everyone can live in a beautiful, sustainably designed home.' 

Meanwhile, the Uniting Church is proposing a 92-lot subdivision ranging between 355 and 1,565 square metres - lots 'designed for single homes'.

In addition, they're seeking to develop the land into 'a new road, a new local park and a stormwater drainage reserve' which will 'increase the site's density'. 

'When the UCA acquired the Kooya Road property, we explored whether it could be developed to provide one of our social services (such as aged care and special housing). But the site had too many constraints for that kind of development,' the church said in its proposal.

'Instead, we propose to use the appropriate part of this site for its 'highest and best' use: residential development.'

Brisbane has a vacancy rate of 0.86 per cent and the pressure on renters does not look to be easing. Throughout the nation, rental prices have spiked 10 per cent in capital cities in the 12 months to September.

But Ms Watson-Brown argues her constituents - despite the housing shortage - are not interested in the Uniting Church's plan.

She surveyed 198 locals, and said of the respondents, 90 per cent were opposed to the development.

A further 5.5 per cent were neutral or unsure, and 'just 4.5 per cent of people supported it'.

There were a litany of concerns that were raised with her, from increased traffic congestion in the area to removing too much green space from the community.

Others were concerned about the impacts to local biodiversity, and the heritage of the old farmhouse currently situated on the lot.

'Many residents would be greatly disappointed to see the removal of the old farmhouse on the site, which represents an important part of the local history,' she said in an official letter opposing the development.

'It could be repurposed for community benefit as part of a historical or arts hub or part of a community meeting place.'

The Uniting Church purchased the 25-hectare property in 2020, following the death of owner Greg Hungerford. The farm had been in the hands of the Hungerford family since the early 1900s. 

The farm operated as a successful free-range poultry business until the mid-1970s. 

A spokesperson for the church told Daily Mail Australia 'during the current housing crisis, we are pleased this will provide some much needed additional housing stock for our city'.

'We believe that this a very well balanced development, that sees almost three quarters of the land remain as bushland and parkland. 

'The development also contains and preserves the densely vegetated areas [and] allows for diversity in the ultimate housing types and products, addressing the current market challenges and demands.

'The proceeds of this project will be used to support the work of the church as they support the local community.'