Did you know that Moreton Bay Regional Council is the first Queensland Council to waive development and infrastructure fees as a way to boost housing construction amidst a growing housing crisis in the country?
The move is also aimed at helping at least 1,200 homeless locals in the region and will target areas like Albany Creek, Arana Hills, Burpengary, Caboolture, Deception Bay, Lawnton, Morayfield, Redcliffe and Strathpine.
Under the Attraction of Affordable Social Housing Policy, applicants for the development of affordable social housing in priority areas may apply for a development application fee remittance by 100 per cent. There will be no cap on the remissions and it can be applied for mixed-use or residential projects.
Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said they want to give incentives to private-sector construction for affordable housing projects.
“We’re coming out of the gates first and sending a strong message to the private sector that we are willing to work with them, we’ve already slashed the usual red tape, and we’re willing to sweeten the deal further by saving them literally hundreds of thousands of dollars on construction,” Mr Flannery said during the press conference.
“There are no tricks, no gimmicks, no hidden costs here for developers. The facility will just need to be managed by a community housing provider, but the building can remain privately owned by the developer.”
UDIA Queensland Moreton Bay president Keith Cairns commended the proactive policy and hoped that other governments will follow. Encircle Community Services CEO Chris Stains said that the initiative will make a difference for community housing providers and non-profit organisations.
Published 23 March 2023
