Toowoomba Regional Council approves $160,000 in incentives for small town developments

THE Toowoomba Regional Council has granted more than $160,000 in incentives and subsidies to four different projects based in regional towns.

The Toowoomba Regional Council has approved more than $160,000 in infrastructure charges incentives.

Councillors voted yesterday to grant infrastructure charges subsidies to developments in Cambooya, Greenmount, Pittsworth and Hampton, after applications were submitted by the respective developers.

All were approved under the council’s Temporary Economic Development Incentives for District Townships Policy, which will grant a certain reduction in infrastructure charges for developments based outside Toowoomba.

Drayton Investments received a $28,000 reduction in charges in relation to the 2019 approval of an integrated shopping centre complex on Eton St in Cambooya, which a medical centre, retail tenancies and a food and drink outlet.

Maxwell and Christine Barton enjoyed a $4500 reduction in its charges bill attached to an approved subdivision on King St at Greenmount.

Meanwhile, an approved extension to a greenhouse project by Selected Seeds at Pittsworth was also heavily discounted by the council, with the developer earning $50,000 off its $118,000 infrastructure charges bill.

Developer Karen Allen was also granted a $76,000 discount on her charges bill in relation to a new 12-lot subdivision on the New England Highway, which was approved back in 2019.

Deputy Mayor Geoff McDonald told his colleagues he was pleased to see the policy being used to drive development in the region’s smaller towns.

“Just with these four items, over $160,000 worth of incentives have been afforded (by the council),” he said.

“It’s money we didn’t have in the past but we have to fill that shortfall now.

“These developments will create long-lasting employment, so I do think that $160,000 to regional townships shouldn’t be overlooked.”

Planning and development portfolio leader Cr Bill Cahill, who chaired the meeting, agreed with the sentiment, calling it a “good news story”.

“As areas continue to grow, we need to look at what opportunities there are to encourage growth,” he said.

“While it’s a subsidy and the money has to be accounted for, the return on it is tenfold or more, in that a lot of these development bring long-term jobs.

“It’s about adding a layer of stimulus to the local economy.”