26 March 2024
Southern Downs Regional Council is working with the Queensland Government and the Local Government Association of Queensland on a joint initiative to respond to a range of immediate, emerging and long-term housing challenges in the Southern Downs through the Southern Downs Local Housing Action Plan (LHAP).
Council’s Chief Executive Officer Dave Burges said that the plan provides an overview of key community and housing characteristics, as well as emerging issues related to housing in the region.
“The LHAP identifies an initial targeted set of priority actions to respond to housing needs in the Southern Downs,” Mr Burges said.
“Emerging issues, opportunities, key challenges and potential responses have been flagged following the review of various data sources, anecdotal feedback and preceding consultations with Council and relevant stakeholders.”
In 2019, Council engaged the services of Foresight Partners to prepare a Housing Needs Assessment Report to inform the preparation of a new Southern Downs town planning scheme.
The primary purpose of the study was to determine the adequacy of existing zoning allocations in the current planning scheme to accommodate projected growth to 2041 in the five key urban areas of Warwick, Stanthorpe, Allora, Killarney, and Wallangarra, as well as accommodate the planned growth and dwelling targets of the Shaping Southern Downs plan.
The implementation of the Southern Downs Local Housing Action Plan will support other existing initiatives of Council, the Queensland Housing Strategy 2017- 2027 and the Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2021-2025. As a complimentary measure, the plan seeks to identify opportunities, consider an agreed response, develop targeted actions on key priorities and enable ongoing review of effort to adapt and respond to changing needs.
“This proactive and forward-thinking strategic plan provides an overview of available information as a basis for discussion and decision making. It should not be viewed in isolation but considered as part of a broad response to supporting housing needs across Queensland,” Mr Burges added.
“Council is playing its role in working with local stakeholders, community housing providers and the Queensland Government to maximise opportunities and meet the region’s housing needs.”
The LHAP aligns with Council’s existing Land Optimisation Strategy 2023 that aims to optimise available land to meet community housing needs and free-up Council controlled land for sensible development.
The plan can be reviewed at
https://www.sdrc.qld.gov.au/council/publications/general-publications.
This project is being funded with the support of the Queensland Government under the Queensland Housing & Homelessness Action Plan 2021-2025 to support local housing outcomes.
Last edited date 26 Mar 2024