Census 2021: Toowoomba developers split on region’s future growth ahead of key council decision

Toowoomba grew by 12,500 residents over the past five years, and developers including the Wagner family are split over the region’s direction ahead of a major council vote in a few months.

Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio; property developer Denis Wagner.

Toowoomba developers have expressed concerns over an upcoming council vote that could dictate the future of the region’s growth, arguing it should be dictated by the property market.

Councillors will vote in September or October on the Toowoomba Region Growth Plan Strategy, with the decision to guide whether the council supports higher-density development in existing areas or continues the outward urban sprawl.

It comes after new census data revealed the region had grown by 12,500 residents since 2016 — a growth rate of 1.54 per cent per year.

This is larger growth than what the region saw between 2011 and 2016, but Mayor Paul Antonio said the council’s growth projections were preparing for another 64,000 residents over the next 30 years.

“The Toowoomba Region Growth Plan will guide how projected growth is accommodated in a way that keeps the lifestyle and regional character we love, while leveraging the opportunities of change,” he said in a statement.

“It will enable us to respond to opportunities in a coordinated and efficient way.”

The decision has created different schools of thought within the development industry, with many arguing the market was currently demanding more urban sprawl and detached housing.

Chief among them is businessman Denis Wagner, who said growth should be determined by consumers.

“It needs to be a mix, it can’t be one or the other,” he said.

“It’s really not up to the councillors to make a decision on what the market wants.

“There is a need for some higher-density living but there is a desire from the consumer to have a house and land and we should be able to cater for both.”

Mr Wagner also reiterated his belief, shared by developer Ian Knox and real estate agent Mike Stewart, that the Toowoomba Regional Council needed to expand its priority infrastructure area to improve future lot availability.

“This problem has been building for years and as an industry we’re concerned about land for future development,” he said.

“The situation is dire and unless it’s addressed it’s going to get.”

However, some in the development industry have reservations about this approach, arguing there was enough land already zoned as “emerging community”.

The council has also requested the State Government sign off on a new temporary local planning instrument, which would cut red tape on emerging community-zoned land across Toowoomba that could be worth about 5,500 new lots.

Industry insiders say landholders covered by the TLPI could ramp up projects.

UDIA Edward Hodge.

Reacting to the upcoming Growth Plan vote, Urban Developers Institute of Australia Toowoomba branch president Edward Hodge said both detached housing and medium-density living should be supported.

“There is certainly merit for both strategies and if we are going to provide a mixture of housing categories for consumers to choose from, then it requires us to have suitable broad-hectare supply for detached housing and a pro-medium density planning framework,” he said.

“The market is going to decide where consumers go and what’s important is we’re agile in how we react to that.”