Gympie Regional Council passes Queensland’s first local housing plan to combat housing crisis

In a Queensland-first decision, Gympie Regional Council has taken a major step towards combating the growing housing crisis in the region. Read the latest:

Gympie Regional Council has committed to enacting a local housing access plan to help combat growing homelessness rates and flood impacts across the region, although not without “significant” housing growth.

The plan involves eight different response opportunities.

It comes as the region continues to suffer from rental shortages and high homelessness rates.

The solutions include reviewing and optimising planning schemes to allow for more effective subdivision of lots and new construction.

It will also consider support for disadvantaged members of the community, including those with disabilities, which may hinder their access to housing.

The council has already shown one example of optimising a pre-existing space, having overhauled a caravan park on Jane St to allow for development of temporary housing.

An old Gympie caravan park being transformed into a housing for residents displaced by the February 2022 floods. Picture: Scott Kovacevic

During the council meeting on Wednesday, September 21, Mayor Glen Hartwig expressed his excitement for the plan.

“We are the first council … to adopt a housing action plan in the whole state,” Mr Hartwig said.

“Considering what we’ve been through this year, and the workload the staff have been under, it’s a great outcome in a short space of time to achieve something like this.”

The motion was unanimously carried (excluding Councillors Warren Polley and Bob Fredman, who were not present).

Division five Councillor Dan Stewart was in support of the plan, but noted some potential challenges in a Facebook statement.

“Our planning scheme will need to allow for a significant increase in housing,” Mr Stewart wrote.

“How can we ensure a greater mix of housing, and smaller housing to match household size, without compromising our lifestyle and community feel?”

He said he was confident council could achieve the balancing act taken to maintain the community lifestyle.

“We’re a community where people want to live,” Mr Stewart said.

“There may be sorts of housing which may be a little bit different but which can be part of our community.”

“But it needs to be done tastefully in a way which also matches the community, the environment that we’ve got,” he said.

Division five councillor Dan Stewart is optimistic for the local housing action plan, but said a lot of the actions are already things being done by Council.

Councillor Stewart said the plan was a collaborative effort between council, the state government and local service providers.

“I was fortunate to be able to attend one of the local housing forums where issues were discussed and the draft action plan presented,” he said.

“There is a number of actions for Council. Most are related to the planning scheme which is currently being reviewed.”

Now that the motion has been passed, council will develop a working group with state government representatives.

The working group will report on their progress quarterly and engage with community-led forums.