Congratulations to Council!
Yes, that’s right…congratulations to Council. I’m sure that’s a phrase not so commonly skipping past the editor’s eyes in this esteemed publication but, hey, credit where credit is due. For those who haven’t the foggiest where I’m going with this I’ll fill you in; Gold Coast City Council Mayor, Tom Tate, has announced his intention to send the Coast’s crippling infrastructure charges on holiday. With all those accumulated funds from years of heavy charging at the ready it’s probably a first-class return trip around the world for this holiday!
Okay, but seriously, the recent announcement is the Mayor’s first step towards fulfilling his election promise to lift the burden of infrastructure charges from the Coast’s ailing development industry. In a matter of weeks, if all goes to plan, the Coast’s developers (and therefore us consultants, builders, publicans, residents…) could soon enjoy the benefit of zero infrastructure charges – that’s right $ZERO. This would be phase one of what is understood to be a three-phase process of stimulating the development industry on the Coast by measures of relief from infrastructure charges.
The devil might be in the detail (which is seemingly yet to be determined) but, barring disastrous detail, Arnold Development Consultants for one is already immensely grateful for nothing more than the Mayor having lifted the mood in the camp on the Coast.
If the plan becomes reality, in the case of a typical residential subdivision a developer would save $27k per lot in infrastructure charges, subject to meeting the criteria which is, as yet, unknown to almost all. That saving of $27k per lot is sure to make the feasibility numbers a lot prettier.
Arnold Development Consultants, as Consulting Urban Planners and Land Surveyors, are well placed to advise you on any matter concerning infrastructure charging.
Andrew Magoffin
Director of Planning
Arnold Development Consultants
Source: Urban Developer – ADC Editorial
