Cairns CBD property: Population density development incentives on cards

Empty commercial buildings could be transformed into swish apartments as Cairns Regional Council considers paying financial incentives to try to increase population density in the CBD.

EMPTY commercial buildings could be transformed into swish apartments as Cairns Regional Council considers paying financial incentives to try increase population density in the CBD.

Major amendments to the planning scheme have been drafted and sent to the State Government to determine whether the council’s changes are allowed to go ahead.

POPULATE OR PERISH: CAIRNS CBD’S ONLY HOPE

Fine details of those planning adjustments are still being kept under wraps but will eventually go out for an exhaustive public consultation process to allow residents to have their say.

However, one core goal of the new-look planning scheme will be to encourage landlords to convert vacant and underused office and retail buildings to residential accommodation — and ratepayers will likely foot some of the bill.

Women's clothing business Rockmans, located on Lake St in the centre of the Cairns CBD, has closed. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

Deputy Mayor Terry James said increasing population density had to be a chief goal for the council to create the economy of scale required to sustain a healthy central business district.

“The only way to fix the CBD is to get extra people in there,” he said.

“There’s an opportunity to repurpose some of the old buildings.

“For argument’s sake, take the Rockmans building on the corner (of Lake and Shields streets) where you have shops on the ground floor and an old office upstairs.

“You could repurpose that and put permanent accommodation upstairs.”

It is not as simple as plonking a “home sweet home” mat at the front doorway of an old office and installing a shower.

Shanti Shanti, a fashion and homewares store on Shields St in the Cairns CBD, closed for business last year. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

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National building codes dictate stringent rules around airflow, light, ceiling heights and the like that are very different for residential buildings and commercial spaces.

Conversions could be very costly ventures, which is why the council is proposing to roll out incentives to sweeten the deal for landlords.

The Cairns Regional Council is looking at ways to convert empty commercial retail space in the city centre into residential zones. Bonnie Campbell and Zak Castini from Brinsmead look into an empty shop on Shields St. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

“Subject to consultation and the state interest check, we will come up with some incentives as a council to hopefully get people to do something,” Cr James said.

“It is possible. Look at the Palace Theatre in Lake St – it got turned into a backpackers.

“They have light wells down the middle to get the light in, and you can introduce fresh air through mechanical means.

“Most people in the CBD don’t open their windows anyway.”

Ross McGee lives in the city and has noticed an increase in empty shops. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

Mayor Bob Manning confirmed the council was “brainstorming” about other ways to intensify how the CBD is populated.

What’s next?

The Queensland Government now has six weeks to respond to Cairns Regional Council’s proposed changes to the planning scheme.

A public comment period, including community forums, will follow before the final amendments are implemented.

“Some amendments are minor or administrative in nature, and others are more significant and in response to industry and community feedback,” a council spokesman said.

“Once the scheme has undergone the state government interest check, another report will be provided to council, before the proposed amendments are made available for public consultation.”

Originally published as Cairns CBD property: Population density development incentives on cards