In response to the State Governments Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2021-2025, and with the support of the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and the State Government, Council has developed a Local Housing Action Plan (LHAP) to support housing outcomes at a local level. Following preliminary endorsement at Council’s November general meeting, a wide-reaching consultation exercise was undertaken to seek feedback and general input on the draft and housing needs that may not have already been captured.
Council wishes to thank all community members who took the time to view or provide feedback on the draft LHAP. The quality of feedback was high, and each submission offered unique perspectives on housing in the region, with several shared views also expressed amongst participants.
Some key points raised through submissions included:
• Demand for housing currently exceeds supply, particularly in terms of rental availability.
• Underutilisation of existing properties and land presents an opportunity within the region.
• While property within the region is currently considered expensive, it remains attractive compared to other regions.
• Housing to support essential service providers, such as teachers, nurses, general practitioners (GP’s) and aged care workers, is critical.
• Consideration needs to be given to ‘live local, support local’ style initiatives.
• In order to attract essential workers, consideration should be given to promoting the region as an attractive and affordable place to live (affordable when compared to other regions).
As a result of feedback, Council has added an additional three action items to the LHAP, centring around publicity of Council information on medium density options and worker accommodation, exploring community development options to foster a ‘live local, support local’ mindset, and exploring options to promote the liveability of the region to attract essential workers. These additions complement an extensive list of actions that seek to alleviate housing availability and affordability in the region.
The final draft was endorsed at Council’s general meeting held on January 24, 2024.
The final draft of the Local Housing Action Plan can be found here, and additional information on the plan’s development or changes following engagement can be found in Council’s January general meeting agenda and minutes available here.
Once again, we thank all participants for their valuable contribution to the region’s Local Housing Action Plan and encourage participation in future engagement opportunities as they arise.
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