Redefining Queensland’s Property Development Landscape
Redefining Queen Development Land As demand for affordable housing continues to grow across Southeast Queensland, KDL Property Group combines strategic land development, construction expertise, and innovative housing models to support delivery at scale. Kent Leicester, Managing Director, tells us more Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Sam Thomas
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nsland’s Property dscape
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ounded in 2012 on the belief that property development could be done differently, KDL Property Group (KDL) is a fast-growing Queensland residential property developer with an increasingly integrated approach to land development and housing delivery. Headquartered in Broadbeach, the company’s land development and housing delivery operations are primarily focused on high-growth regions across Southeast Queensland. “At its core, KDL identifies and acquires well-located development sites, manages planning and approvals, and designs communities. We then oversee the civil works required to create serviced residential lots, taking projects through registration, sales, and settlement,” opens Kent Leicester, Managing Director. KDL’s wholly owned construction arm, Ryse Construction, adds the capability to deliver completed homes across selected projects. This integrated model gives KDL a broad customer and partner base. Alongside traditional builders, the business is increasingly working with government, institutional investors, and community housing providers to deliver large-scale affordable housing programmes. KDL is also expanding into community-focused projects such as childcare, medical, and neighbourhood centres that complement its residential developments. The KDL and Ryse Construction team now totals 26 people, supported by a long-standing network of civil contractors, planners, engineers, and other specialist consultants. The company has a pipeline of approximately 3,700 lots, with approximately AUD$2.5 billion in value across its land and housing development pipeline.
RYSE CONSTRUCTION With a growing portfolio of projects underway and planned, Ryse Construction has become an APAC Outlook Issue 82 | 3
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important part of KDL’s integrated delivery model. “Ryse Construction connects KDL’s property development knowledge with what happens on-site every day,” says Leicester. The division allows KDL to consider housing design, procurement, and trade capacity earlier in the development process. It also provides direct feedback from construction teams that can help improve the planning and delivery of future stages. “The advantage of having KDL and Ryse Construction working collaboratively is that we can test lot dimensions, driveway locations, and general buildability early in the process before the design is locked in. That reduces wasted land, avoids unnecessary construction costs, and generally produces a more functional home,” he sets out. This designed-by-builders
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philosophy means layouts are more practical, specifications can be better controlled, and the company has repeatable systems that support volume without making every home the same. It can also reduce some of the delays and complexity associated with traditional retail building, including repeated design variations and fragmented administration. Leicester says this is an important point of difference for the business. “Ryse Construction isn’t trying to be a traditional retail home builder. We don’t carry a huge catalogue of designs or deal with individual variations. “Our point of difference is that homes can be designed around the land and project requirements from day one. That is particularly valuable when delivering hundreds of homes through affordable housing programmes,” he outlines.
SUPPORTING CRITICAL DEMAND KDL’s capabilities are increasingly relevant to one of Southeast Queensland’s major challenges: delivering enough housing to meet population growth and demand, including affordable housing. “I believe the industry still has to overcome a difficult delivery equation. It’s not just about affordability – it’s about identifying the right land, zoning more land, and getting it approved with the right mechanisms and supportive infrastructure in place to achieve completion,” says Leicester. Amongst the major constraints are the timing and availability of enabling infrastructure. New housing depends on the coordinated delivery of roads, water, sewers, and other essential services, with sufficient capacity to support growing communities. Infrastructure such as this therefore
HOW HAS KDL STAYED TRUE TO ITS FOUNDING PRINCIPLES WHILST EVOLVING TO MEET THE NEED FOR MORE DIVERSE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING? Kent Leicester, Managing Director: “When I founded KDL in 2012, the guiding principle was that property development could be done differently, with a strong focus on people, processes, and partnerships. “KDL began as a land subdivision business with a small team focused on identifying growth locations early. “Looking for well-located land, we were guided by straightforward principles: anticipate where people want to live, plan with purpose, and create spaces that retain value beyond settlements. “The principles haven’t changed – but the way we apply them has evolved. We’ve moved from smaller subdivisions into larger projects and more complex land amalgamations, as well as more recent government and institutional housing partnerships. “The launch of Ryse Construction in 2022 was a major step because it allowed us to connect land planning with the design and delivery of completed homes and take a more integrated, design-led approach. “That allows us to consider the end housing product earlier and work backwards through the development process. The affordable housing challenge has reinforced the importance of finding efficiencies without compromising design or quality. “Affordability shouldn’t be achieved through poorer design or short-term thinking. It requires smarter land use, disciplined delivery, and a long-term view of the communities we create.”
requires effective planning and swift delivery to support the timely development of new land. “Infrastructure delays don’t just affect the developer. They can delay a builder’s start, a buyer’s home, and ultimately the date a resident can move in. When you’re delivering housing at scale, those delays can have a significant impact,” he states. KDL is also broadening the housing mix across its pipeline to help deliver greater choice and make efficient use of well-located land. “Instead of just delivering
“Our point of difference is that homes can be designed around the land and project requirements from day one. That is particularly valuable when delivering hundreds of homes through affordable housing programmes” – K E N T L E I C E ST E R , M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R , K D L P R O P E R T Y G R O U P
detached housing, we’re looking at smaller more efficient homes, townhouses, and dual-key designed homes where standardised layouts and procurement allow more
properties to be constructed in the same areas,” informs Leicester. Whilst the housing mix is becoming more diverse, Leicester says quality remains a priority. APAC Outlook Issue 82 | 5
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“Improving affordability shouldn’t mean reducing quality. The opportunity is to remove waste from the process, use land intelligently, and shorten the time between land registration and construction by designing homes earlier and making them efficient to build and economical to live in,” he says.
DYNAMIC HOUSING OPPORTUNITY With the Queensland government recently announcing a target to build one million homes by 2044, Leicester sees an opportunity for the public and private sectors to work together to overcome the housing demand challenge. “For KDL, it creates an opportunity to deliver affordable housing programmes at scale. We have a substantial pipeline of land, and Ryse Construction gives us another capability to help translate that pipeline into a broader range of completed homes,” Leicester highlights. The company is already participating in major affordable housing initiatives involving government, institutional, and community housing partners. For example, in collaboration with the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF), KDL and Ryse Construction are currently delivering 359 homes across four different communities in 6 | APAC Outlook Issue 82
“Our business is ultimately about communities. We want our contribution to extend beyond just the physical development of homes by supporting organisations that promote wellness and a sense of connection – K E N T L E I C E ST E R , M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R , K D L P R O P E R T Y G R O U P
Logan City and the City of Moreton Bay. The housing mix includes a range of bedroom configurations and dwelling types, including dual-key homes. “Dual-key housing allows two selfcontained dwellings to be delivered on one residential lot, creating greater flexibility in the mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom homes we can provide,” notes Leicester. The approach can increase housing choice within established suburban areas and make more efficient use of residential land. “The real advantage of this model is that we can produce a different kind of dwelling mix that’s well-designed
and supportive of dual-key living homes, delivering what we call ‘gentle density’ – increasing the number of residents in a house without changing the character or standards of a suburban neighbourhood,” he explains. This allows projects to cater for a wider range of households, including couples, families, key workers, older residents, and multi-generational households. KDL is also the exclusive land partner in the Everyone’s Place affordable housing initiative, with 291 of the company’s lots supporting the delivery of 483 homes across four communities.
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THE EXPERIENCE YOU DESERVE
Building Stronger Communities Through Partnership Since 1974, Burchills Engineering Solutions has brought expertise, practical thinking and a collaborative approach to shaping communities across Queensland. Our people work closely with clients and consultants, building relationships based on trust and finding practical solutions that deliver quality outcomes. For more than five years, Burchills has been proud to work alongside KDL Property Group (KDL), building a relationship based on a commitment to quality communities.
Our relationship has seen us deliver Elridge Estate, whilst we are currently involved in four developments - three in Ripley and one in Toowoomba. Collectively, these projects represent approximately 1,900 allotments and medium-density development, progressing through Development Approval. What sets KDL apart is their collaborative approach. They have a clear vision and work closely with their consultant team to achieve quality outcomes. We value our relationship with KDL and are proud to contribute to their success. We look forward to more successful projects together.
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STRATEGIC, COORDINATED GROWTH KDL’s multi-billion-dollar pipeline is the result of long-term acquisition and planning, with the business focused on sustainable growth rather than growth for its own sake. “We’re not a company that needs to grow as quickly as possible – we need to grow sustainably, which is why we’re focused on expanding in the areas that reflect our model and what we do. “It’s very easy to get distracted in property development, but we have stayed true to our core product – residential, low-density housing,” affirms Leicester. KDL is further distinguished by its ability to manage the entire project lifecycle, which offers numerous advantages.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS KDL’s projects rely on strong, long-standing relationships with consultants, civil contractors, builders, and financiers, together with government, institutional investors, and community housing providers. “It’s really important to acknowledge our close relationships with our partners. They are an extension of our team and critical to our process,” Leicester acknowledges. “Indeed, our growth hasn’t come from trying to be the biggest developer in the field, but from consistently delivering projects off the back of good people and partnerships. “We are invited into larger opportunities because our partners know that we can execute efficiently – and that trust has been built over time,” he says.
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Bringing acquisition and planning, development, sales, and construction under a common strategy can improve coordination and allow decisions to be made with the completed home and future resident in mind. “There are many parties involved in our projects – developers, consultants, civil contractors, sales teams, and others. Alignment helps everyone work towards the same outcome and can improve both speed and certainty. “For the end buyer, that can mean greater consistency, clearer accountability, and shorter delivery times. We’re seeing that when the different parts of the process work together, we can deliver a more reliable and efficient product that is suited to the land,” Leicester observes. Oversight across the complete development lifecycle also improves
visibility of civil works, titles, procurement, and construction, allowing potential cost and delivery issues to be identified earlier.
FORGING STRONG COMMUNITY BONDS Supporting the communities in which it operates has been part of KDL’s philosophy since its founding. “Our business is ultimately about communities. We want our contribution to extend beyond just the physical development of homes by supporting organisations that promote wellness and a sense of connection,” Leicester emphasises. The company has built strong connections with notable charity organisations across Southeast Queensland, including the Ronald McDonald House Charities and OneWave – a not-for-profit surfing
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charity that offers meaningful mental health programmes across the community. KDL also supports a number of sporting organisations, such as the Bond University Rugby Club and Queensland rugby union pathway programmes. The company is particularly proud to be a naming-rights sponsor for the Emerging Reds Cup in collaboration with Queensland Rugby Union. “We look for partnerships that have a real tangible local impact and where the organisation’s values align with our own. We also try to involve our team and industry partners because shared participation creates more impact than just a corporate donation,” Leicester expands.
SCALING AND EXECUTION EXCELLENCE Having built a substantial pipeline of approximately 3,700 lots, KDL’s priority is now to convert that pipeline into approvals, serviced lots, and completed homes at a reliable and consistent pace. This includes the continued delivery
of its Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF)-supported projects, with the current programme expected to be completed by the end of Q1 2027. The company is also progressing projects across Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, and Toowoomba, with a continued focus on quality and delivery. Another priority is the responsible growth of Ryse Construction, with hundreds of homes in its forward pipeline alongside its commercial projects. “We want to invest in experienced leadership, build stronger systems, have more disciplined procurement and trade capacity relationships, and make sure growth is controlled,” Leicester adds. KDL also plans to expand selectively in emerging residential growth areas and continue building its capability to deliver community infrastructure alongside housing. Waraba and Ripley are major focus areas, with KDL having assembled a substantial long-term development pipeline across Ripley and South Ripley already.
“We’re proud that we can design and deliver these projects the right way through major product diversifications. Alongside the acquisition and purchase of more land, our primary focus is on the sustainable, responsible scaling and execution of what we have in our pipeline,” concludes Leicester.
Tel: +61 7 5676 5034 info@kdlproperty.com.au
kdl.com.au
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Tel: +61 7 5676 5034 info@kdlproperty.com.au kdl.com.au
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