Precinct Urban Planning’s Post

Precinct Urban Planning is strongly supportive of the recent announcement by Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) that the Council is set to embark on a Local Housing Action Plan project to review current and future housing needs across the region and is asking for community feedback. TRC Place (Planning) portfolio spokesperson Councillor Tim McMahon said Council had recognised that as the region’s population continues to grow, a greater supply of housing and increased housing type choice for residents is needed. “Council recognises its role in responding to the housing crisis and undertaking a Local Housing Action Plan. “This plan will ultimately allow Council to identify potential actions and opportunities to address a range of immediate, emerging and longer-term housing and infrastructure challenges in both the urban and regional areas of the Region. “We will collaborate with the Queensland State Government in the development of the plan and are asking for community feedback to ensure the need and wants of the community are considered. “We want to focus on the long-term affordability and sustainability of housing types for the needs, means and values of our community members in Toowoomba Region,” Cr McMahon said. “Council is asking the community to consider what factors influence their housing wants and needs, now and into the future, with residents encouraged to share their thoughts from Monday, 18 November to Friday, 13 December by visiting Council’s Your Say website. Precinct Urban Planning’s Director Andrew Bullen has long advocated for an increase in residential land supply across the region. Mr Bullen and other development industry representatives contend that “the evident under supply of residential land, inevitably results in many of those that might otherwise purchase a new home acquiring existing properties, and often investment (rental) properties. In other words, the rental stock is cannibalised by owner occupiers in a climate of insufficient supply. We know anecdotally that Toowoomba’s rental stock reduced by between 10-15% since pre-covid as a result of the undersupply driven rental crisis.” Mr Bullen noted further that “the reduction in rental stock results in more competition for available rental properties, an increase in rents and a consequential decline in rental affordability. Those at the bottom of the market get squeezed out and face the real threat of homelessness.” Mr Bullen believes “that while a housing strategy made sense, it is incumbent on Council and well within their power to take urgent action on the ground to release more residential land”. “The positive benefits of increased residential supply cascade through the broader housing market to ease price pressure for those seeking to purchase or rent dwellings – it is a win-win outcome”. For more information on Council’s Local Housing Action Plan, please visit https://lnkd.in/gjBU8tpU , call Council on 131 872 or email [email protected]

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Wayne Wilson

Director/ Consulting Surveyor at Wilson Survey and Design Pty Ltd Consulting Surveyors

4w

Wow, that was quick…😳

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