07/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/18/2024 21:35
Published on 19 July 2024
Rockhampton Regional Council is taking a positive step towards making housing in the Region more affordable and accessible, with proposed changes to the Planning Scheme.
In an effort to create a wider variety of housing choices to increase the overall supply, the proposed changes include smaller lot sizes, more housing types and streamlining approvals.
Planning and Regulation Councillor Grant Mathers said Council is inviting residents to have their say on the proposal with consultation opening today.
"These proposed changes respond to the growing need for increased housing and are designed to deliver tangible outcomes for our community with more residential development opportunities," Cr Mathers said.
"The aim is to make it easier for developers to build more housing options on smaller parcels of land, thereby increasing the overall housing supply and providing more choices for residents.
"The proposed amendment includes reducing the minimum residential lot size for land subdivisions and reducing the minimum site area for dual occupancy and multiple dwellings.
"By reducing minimum lot sizes, we're opening up possibilities for more affordable housing options and greater flexibility for residents who might want to subdivide or consider building a granny flat or similar dwelling on their existing land.
"Residents, community groups, businesses and developers are all encouraged to participate in the consultation process and share their feedback over the next four weeks."
Alongside the focus on housing affordability in Package C of the Planning Scheme, additional amendments to Package B include updates to business zoning rules.
"By simplifying the development approval process and offering greater flexibility in zoning rules, we're aiming to unlock new opportunities for businesses to operate and expand, ultimately stimulating economic activity in our region.
"Particularly as we continue to expand in our northern corridor, we know that from previous studies that there is a need for more specialised shopping centres to accommodate this population growth.
"As a result, these amendments mean more jobs, more homes and more services for our Region.
"Feedback from the public is crucial during the Planning Scheme amendment process to ensure changes align with the needs of our community."
A summary of the major changes to the planning scheme include:
Package B - Commercial
Package C - Residential
In the low density residential zone:
In the low-medium density residential zone:
To make a submission or to view more information, visit Engage Rockhampton Region:http://engage.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au.
The public consultation period for the proposed Major Amendments will commence today, Friday 19 July 2024 and conclude at close of business Friday 16 August 2024.