Toowoomba Regional Council now ‘concerned’ by land supply, as developers issue ‘dire’ warning over available lots

Toowoomba’s development industry has again issued a warning that the city faces a ‘dire’ shortage of available housing. And now the council appears to agree to some extent.

Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl; Councillor Megan O'Hara Sullivan.

Toowoomba’s lack of available housing and land supply is now a “concern” for the council, as it responds to growing calls from developers and business owners to turbocharge the production of new lots across the region.

Planning and development chair Councillor Megan O’Hara Sullivan says she shares some of the worries of the development industry over current and future lots in the pipeline.

Ms O’Hara Sullivan’s statement to The Chronicle appears to show a shift in the council’s approach to the issue from a year or two ago, where the TRC said it was satisfied by the available vacant land for development.

“Council is keen to ensure there is sufficient greenfield land supply in the short and longer term for detached housing, and we do share concerns with the development industry surrounding ongoing delivery of residential lots and housing,” she said.

“This is something we’re trying to influence and we’re also eager to work with developers on land availability discrepancies that exist with the data provided from council, the State Government and the development industry.”

While a shortage of land is not a phenomenon unique to Toowoomba — other regional centres have seen significant lot production due to Covid-19 — key community leaders like Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl say the situation is now “dire”.

Research by town planner Andrew Bullen has suggested Toowoomba’s future supply is just 1000 lots, well short of the 4000-5000 needed to maintain a healthy market over the next five years.

This was also short of the 27 years’ worth of developable land the council said the region had in August last year.

“The housing situation is dire, what we tried to do is identify the issue, find some solutions to correct what’s happening,” Mr Rohl said.

“Andrew has determined that bringing forward more land (for development), dealing with some of the challenges of residential land locked up in the courts and making the development assessment process easier would all help. The acknowledgment (from the council) of the crisis and their role in it is very welcomed.”

Key developers like Denis Wagner and Rob Weymouth have also backed the campaign to increase land supply, with the former saying it was contributing to the rental and homelessness crisis in the city.

“The evidence reaffirms our view that we have a serious land supply and housing crisis in Toowoomba,” he said.