Community
10 December, 2024
Housing plan queried
TWO leading housing industry groups have welcomed the Cairns Regional Council’s housing action plan but are concerned it lacks substance.
The plan was endorsed by councillors at the November 20 meeting.
The Local Housing Action Plan (LHAP) identifies key areas that need to be addressed, and the subsequent actions required, to tackle the ongoing housing crisis.
The seven key focus areas are:
Housing supply that meets needs
Key worker housing
Social and affordable housing
At risk residents
Cultural change and social acceptance
Living in the tropics
Disaster response.
Real Estate Institute of Queensland chief executive officer Antonia Mercorella said the REIQ welcomed the housing plan “as a positive first step in addressing the pressing housing challenges facing the region”.
“This plan reflects a growing recognition of the significant hurdles ahead, including housing affordability and supply pressures,” she said.
“While the plan identifies these challenges and response opportunities, it does not yet provide a detailed roadmap of how they will be addressed.
“It’s clear that the community will be eager to see more detail on the actionable strategies, timelines and commitments that will translate these opportunities into practical solutions.
“It is encouraging to see the plan has been developed in consultation with the state government. We strongly believe that tackling the housing crisis requires a whole-of-government approach.
“Collaboration across all levels of government – federal, state, and local – is essential, alongside meaningful input and partnership with industry stakeholders.
“Housing affordability and supply are not issues that can be solved by individual councils alone. They demand coordinated, collective action.
“Cairns’ housing market has experienced significant growth, with the median house price increasing by 48.33 per cent over the last five years. This underscores the urgency of delivering solutions to ensure that housing remains accessible and affordable for current and future residents.”
Master Builders Far North Queensland regional manager Sharon Vella said when it came to construction and getting more housing built, “there is a lot of talk about ‘investigating’ and ‘advocating’ Cairns-specific solutions”. “For example, the actions in the plan include ‘investigating regionally specific levers to infill development’ and ‘advocating for a tropical variation to the Queensland Development Code’. This would have to be instead of a statewide housing code,” she said.
“These aren’t problems unique to Cairns. We have the answers. The plan should instead call for the adoption of the housing code and subsequent ‘gentle density codes.’ The focus should be on getting things done.
“We are continuing to call on the Queensland Government to commit to progressing the work already underway to develop a suite of statewide planning codes for detached houses, secondary dwellings, and small units.”
