Key stakeholders discuss solutions to tackle Townsville’s housing shortage

With no simple fix for Townsville’s housing crisis, industry experts have gathered to discuss several solutions. See what is being done.

Finding solutions for Townsville's housing shortage was the goal of a special Property Council of Australia luncheon at the The Ville Resort-Casino. Picture: Leighton Smith.

Tackling North Queensland’s housing shortage by building more homes faster was one of the key objectives addressed by stakeholders who gathered for a special Property Council of Australia event to sound out solutions to the crisis.

The room was packed at The Ville Resort-Casino on Thursday where representatives of the Queensland Government, Economic Development Queensland and Townsville City Council joined leading figures in the region’s property industry to talk through the opportunities and challenges facing Townsville’s housing market.

Property Council of Australia’s Queensland executive director Jess Caire said with Townsville’s population expected to grow by as much as 110,000 by 2046, it was imperative that we are being as smart as possible to ensure collaborative decision making in response to the housing crisis.

“Both industry and government need to engage in dialogue to ensure the region’s housing solutions are bespoke and fit for purpose,” Ms Caire said.

“The property industry can provide government with novel solutions and ways to create additional efficiency and in turn more housing.”

NBN’s Cassie Barrett, State Development's Chris Aston, Townsville City Council's Paul Needham, Kristan Conlon, EDQ’s Debbie McNamara, Property Council of Australia's Jess Caire, and Coast2Bay Housing Group's Andrew Alvin at The Ville Resort-Casino. Picture: Leighton Smith.

Queensland’s Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning executive director Chris Aston anticipated that Townsville’s 1 to 1.2 per cent growth over the next five years would outpace the 1500 new dwellings needed annually, leaving a 600 dwelling shortfall per year.

He highlighted the state government’s housing responses, which included building more homes faster, supporting Queensland renters, helping first homeowners into the market, boosting social housing through Big Build, and working towards ending homelessness.

Townsville City Council chief planning and development officer Paul Needham. Picture: Leighton Smith.

Townsville City Council chief planning and development officer Paul Needham said the council was engaging with industry stakeholders and developing an action plan around four key pillars.

They revolved around delivering infrastructure, creating the conditions for private investment, making changes around planning and regulation like encouraging “gentle density” housing, advocating for funding and policy changes within the other levels of government, and to target different types of housing like social, affordable and workforce type accommodation.

Panel discussion with EDQ’s Debbie McNamara, Townsville City Council's Paul Needham, State Development's Chris Aston, Coast2Bay Housing Group's Andrew Alvin and host Kristan Conlon at The Ville Resort-Casino. Picture: Leighton Smith.

“We need to get those conditions right. If we don’t, then some of that investment might struggle to get the traction needed,” Mr Needham said.

“We need to see an acceleration of housing investment and there’s some key roles that we can play with others to have that come to fruition.”

Economic Development Queensland’s chief executive Debbie McNamara. Picture: Leighton Smith.

Representing the state government’s land development agency, Economic Development Queensland’s chief executive Debbie McNamara said they were working on housing solutions in the priority development area on Townsville’s waterfront, and in Oonoonba, which was paused to find a way forward following the 2019 flood.

“Through our Priority Development Areas and other initiatives we are creating investment opportunities by de-risking and unlocking land for redevelopment across sectors and across Queensland,” Ms McNamara said.

Coast2Bay Housing Group chief executive Andrew Alvin. Picture: Leighton Smith.

Sunshine Coast-based Coast2Bay Housing Group chief executive Andrew Alvin said they were a community housing provider specifically focused on regional Queensland.

Despite commercial in confidence restrictions, he was able to reveal that they had two major social housing projects in the pipeline for Townsville, worth an estimated $100 million.

“We’ve got options on the land or agreements to develop the land. They’re in well located areas that are near to services and transport links, so there’ll be really good opportunities for us to increase the stock here in Townsville,” Mr Alvin said.

Originally published as Key stakeholders discuss solutions to tackle Townsville’s housing shortage