Urban Development Institute of Australia pledges fresh plan

The new head of Toowoomba’s development industry is keen to break the bottleneck on land supply and development so more people can get into a home quicker.

Edward Hodge will lead the Toowoomba branch of the Urban Development Institute of Australia

THE new head of Toowoomba’s development industry has pledged to work with council to fix some of the region’s short and long-term issues, including land supply and a lack of medium-density living.

Edward Hodge (right), who has replaced Stephen Bowers as the Toowoomba branch president of the Urban Development Institute of Australia, this week re-signed a memorandum of understanding with the council, committing an ongoing working relationship.

It comes at a crucial moment for both parties, with sections of the development and business communities launching public campaigns to fix key planning issues, such as future land supply.

Mr Hodge, whose family has a rich tradition in the industry, said collaboration was the only way to further both developer and community interests.

“The only way to advance as an industry is to collaborate,” he said.

“Council is never going to agree with everything we put forward, and it’s not about getting wins on everything – it’s about getting good outcomes.

“The reality is a good working relationship is what creates results.”

Mr Hodge said UDIA members wanted to see changes around medium-density living, along with general supply issues across a number of dwelling classes.

“The Toowoomba committee has a good array of experience and we’ve done a lot of work with council on the medium density issue and this has been a joint-effort, not just from UDIA but all of our members who contribute to the supply of medium-density living,” he said.

“The big question now is meeting the supply issues, there has been a lot of commentary about it, but how we solve the short-term supply issues is by addressing every asset class, including medium density and new housing.”

Mayor Paul Antonio said a good working relationship with developers would be crucial as the region continues to grow every year.

Originally published as Urban Development Institute of Australia pledges fresh plan