Council adopts Local Housing Action Plan and an extension to the multi-dwelling rebate

At the January Ordinary Council meeting, the Councillors adopted a Local Housing Action Plan for the region. Mayor of Goondiwindi Regional Council, the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM, said Council's plan was developed following face-to-face and online community feedback.

“Housing pressure is a significant topic facing our community. Whilst Council will continue to consider options to improve the situation, the Local Housing Action Plan deliberately identifies a range of essential support measures and changes that the Queensland Government should consider to make a tangible difference to the region. Not the least of which is finding solutions to move their employees out of the existing rental pool and into new Queensland Government-owned housing.

Residents can access the Goondiwindi Region Local Housing Action Plan on Council’s website - https://www.grc.qld.gov.au/downloads/file/3287/grc-housing-action-plan

"Over the past 12 months, the multi-dwelling incentive has generated interest from a range of investors, and we have extended the timelines to maximise the potential rental property growth in the region. Increasing rental property vacancies in the region is critical for locals and businesses to attract and keep essential workers to the region,” he said.

The multi-dwelling rebate applies to all Council fees (e.g. planning including infrastructure charges, building, water and sewerage fees) associated with constructing new multi-dwelling buildings, including duplexes, granny flats, units and townhouses. To be eligible for the rebate, the building application must be approved before 30 June 2024, with construction completed and certified before 31 December 2025. In addition, the multi-dwelling must be built within the existing Council water and sewerage infrastructure area in the Goondiwindi Region.

Interested people should contact Council in the first instance at mail@grc.qld.gov.au or 07 4671 7400.

"We continue to experience an extremely tight rental market in the region, and Council wants to be proactive in doing all it can to encourage private sector development to relieve rental pressure,” said the Mayor.

The Local Housing Action Plan details the current housing situational context, as well as planned Council initiatives such as:

• Develop a future Council staff housing needs proposal with consideration for releasing underutilised stock back into the market and/or building new council employee dwellings.
• Undertake masterplan for the Goondiwindi Airport precinct. This will focus predominately on industrial opportunity but will not exclude the potential for residential lots.
• Undertake a masterplan for the Casa Mia site in Inglewood to complement the design of the proposed five independent living units.
• Intensify liaison with ARTC regarding vacant Council land near Bethcar Road in Inglewood. Consider undertaking a masterplan for potential alternate investment attraction at this site.
• Council to extend existing multi-dwelling incentive.

Council to actively engage QBuild in identifying solutions to Queensland government employee housing for Goondiwindi.