Toowoomba council approves land sale to Brisbane Housing Company ahead of 75-unit social, affordable housing project

A massive social and affordable housing project in the CBD has taken a big leap forward following a council decision and it’s earned praise from community leaders and residents. See the plans here:

UPDATE: Community leaders, homelessness support services and housing organisations have praised a plan for a 75-unit social housing project in the heart of the Toowoomba CBD.

The Toowoomba Regional Council on Wednesday voted to sell a portion of its Station Street car park to Brisbane Housing Company, with the goal of building a multistorey development that will include social, affordable and market-rate housing.

It comes as the city experiences a worsening housing and rental shortage, both in private and public accommodation.

Grant Simpson, CEO Lifeline Darling Downs & South West. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The announcement was welcomed by Lifeline Darling Downs CEO Grant Simpson, who said many residents were struggling to find a roof over their heads.

“It’s a much-needed response to the housing crisis — homelessness has gone up 46 per cent since 2018 and housing insecurity has gone up to 52 per cent, so something had to be delivered,” he said.

“Toowoomba is attracting a lot of investment and migration, people are moving here so you have to address that social housing and affordability need.

“That particular location is a good spot in terms of service proximity, it’s close to services and shopping, so it factors into service needs.”

Mr Simpson said rent-controlled affordable housing was a missing ingredient in Toowoomba, since it helped people find their feet before re-entering the private market.

“If you look at the spectrum, the big log jam is in that affordable housing sector,” he said.

“It’s the affordable level that is the progress point, they are a stepping stone for people to get back into the market.

Anything getting built now is suiting the upper and middle brackets of the market.”

BASE Services social worker Tiff Spary.

Base Services co-ordinator Tiff Spary, who is at the coal face of homelessness in Toowoomba, said the project would be a welcome boost for people living rough.

“It’s fantastic, and when it comes to ending homelessness, it comes back to government, because they are the key,” she said.

“In the past 18 months, we’ve found people who can’t find houses including families with three or more children — they’re sharing bathrooms, they don’t have kitchens.

“One of the other things that helps is employment, so this being in the heart of the city will make more services accessible. It’s about breaking the cycle.”

Salvation Army Toowoomba church leader Major Dale Murray said more social housing was
“desperately needed”.

Concept art for a new social and affordable housing project planned for Station Street in the Toowoomba CBD. Designs by Arkefield.

BOLD PLAN FOR 75-UNIT DEVELOPMENT IN CBD

A plan to turn an underused CBD car park into a massive 75-unit social and affordable housing project has taken a big leap forward, in a move that could bring hundreds of residents to the heart of Toowoomba.

The Toowoomba Regional Council this week voted to sell a portion of the Station Street car park to Brisbane Housing Company so the not-for-profit organisation could develop a mixed-use project, featuring 25 units each for social, affordable and market-rate housing.

It is understood BHC, which owns and manages more than 1700 properties across Queensland, would be the developer and long-term owner.

The new tower will be just metres from two other private unit developments on Mylne Street, including one by locals Barry and Mitchell Bernoth that is already under construction.

Another mixed-use development, dubbed the “skyhouses” project, has also been approved on Mylne Street.

Planning and development chair Councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan, who became emotional after the motion was passed at Wednesday’s special meeting, said the units would not only support the city’s most vulnerable and ease pressure on the rental market but also activate the CBD.

“BHC has got a proven track record with their affordable and social housing, looking at the things they have done in the past,” she said.

“There has been a lot of work put into this and the reason we wanted to do it is not just to support people living with homelessness but also inner city living and CBD activation.”

BHC CEO Rebecca Oelkers said the project would be an exciting addition to the city centre.

“BHC welcomes Toowoomba Regional Council’s resolution to progress this project, which aims to deliver secure, high quality rental homes in proximity to the city centre,” she said.

Brisbane Housing Company CEO Rebecca Oelkers

“The proposed development will offer a balanced mix of long term social, affordable and market rentals, ensuring residents in housing need can stay connected to their local area and continue to live, work and thrive as part of the vibrant Toowoomba community.

“BHC looks forward to continuing to work with Toowoomba Regional Council to progress the plans for this development and assist in addressing local housing need.”

The council decision was not unanimous, with Councillors Nancy Sommerfield and Bill Cahill preferring an alternate site off Annand Street for the project.

“I really support the concept, we had three options and I just feel we haven’t got the right option,” Ms Sommerfield said.

“There is opportunity to disperse these projects so we can get a whole benefits for the CBD, not just in this area.

“The Annand Street option mentioned, it’s right in the CBD and provides an opportunity to stimulate the main area of the CBD, that’s why we put the laneways in there.”

Mr Cahill said the land at Station Street was not only close to a McDonald’s restaurant but also Grand Central, saying small businesses would miss out by being further away.

“A number of small businesses will miss out on this foot traffic and we all know how under-stress small businesses are,” he said.

“I do believe one of these other sites has the potential for council to realise this plan sooner due to the less complicated matters associated with it.

“I also believe it minimises the risk, given our changing environment, to not have the project prolonged and it also allows for a greater number of unit choices on one of these alternate sites.”

The Station Street car park, which will be sold by Toowoomba Regional Council to Brisbane Housing Company for the purpose of building a new social and affordable housing project.

Councillors Carol and Melissa Taylor both spoke in favour of it, with the latter pointing to Station Street’s proximity to Toowoomba North State School.

“This is the best site for this project, it has been a neglected part of our CBD for some time, and you only need to see the private investment that they can see the value in this area,” she said.

“This will encourage boutique shopping and help our Russell Street area and we as a council have already invested so much into Russell Street.

“It also offers amenity of schooling and parks.”

Originally published as Toowoomba council approves land sale to Brisbane Housing Company ahead of 75-unit social, affordable housing project