Action on mine town housing

More than 100 short-term actions have been identified to assist regional and resource communities meet the challenges of the mining boom.

The Newman Government today released the Regional and Resource Towns Action Plan which includes a range of initiatives and on the ground projects to be undertaken in the next 12 – 24 months in response to specific circumstances being experienced by communities in Queensland.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the document outlined how state and local government can work together to ease land supply and housing problems facing our resource communities.

“Major planning reform is underway across the state, including the preparation of regional plans for Western Downs, Central Queensland and Cape York, but the pressures in some regional and resource communities means that more immediate action is necessary,” Mr Seeney said.

“For this reason actions were identified to address perceived impediments to development ahead of the outcomes of the regional planning process.

“This plan outlines a series of actions to be undertaken in the next one to two years to help regional resource communities take advantage of the benefits of mining development.

“The issues and actions were identified during a series of 11 regional workshops organised by my department in Dalby, Roma, Mount Isa, Emerald, Toowoomba, Cairns, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Moranbah and Mackay.

“The actions identified in the plan are specifically targeted to the 11 council areas in which the regional workshops were held.

“A range of stakeholders who play a key role in the development industry participated—from builders and developers, to planners, Mayors and other council representatives.”

The focus of the workshops was on four main themes:

• current state of housing availability, affordability and diversity in each town
• requirements and availability of residential, industrial and commercial land over the next 12 to 24 months
• issues which are blocking the availability and release of land supply
• opportunities to address land supply issues.

A range of local and state-wide issues were raised and in response more than 100 actions have been identified including:

• identify and develop vacant state land for an affordable housing project in Chinchilla
• investigate a potential Priority Development Area in Blackwater
• work with Mackay Regional Council on a potential demonstration project in Mackay
• undertake a pilot project with Gladstone Regional Council for inclusion of housing diversity in the new planning scheme
• assist councils with the implementation of self-certification of operational works
• assist councils to finalise their new planning schemes.

“This plan offers a clear way forward in the short term for a number of Queensland mining and resource communities,” Mr Seeney said.

“The plan will be provided to the 11 councils who were part of the workshops.  These councils will then work with my department to deliver on the actions.”

The Regional and Resource Towns Action Plan is also available to download at www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/regional-development/regional-and-resource-towns-action-plan.html

[ENDS] 7 March 2013

Media Contact: John Wiseman - 0409 791 281 or Kate Haddan - 0418 373 516