Need to boost housing sector

IN all the excitement about a surging commercial construction sector in Cairns, many have failed to realise the residential quarter remains in the doldrums.

As we have watched tower cranes go to work on the Cairns Aquarium, performing arts centre and GA Group’s three hotel projects, the new home sector is stagnant.

Urban Development Institute of Australia Cairns president Adam Gowlett, who heads the operations of prolific developer John Richardson, said authorities had forgotten about the need to support the residential building industry with April figures some of the lowest in 10 years and so far this year it is worse than last year which was worse than in 2015.

Last financial year only 576 homes were built, one housing construction company closed its doors and another moved interstate.

The Cairns Regional Council has been generous in the past five years handing out $52 million of discounts across 69 projects.

But the current round is due to expire. It focused on growth areas at North Cairns, Smithfield, Edmonton, Earlville, Mt Peter and Babinda with ventures outside these areas ineligible for discounts unless they were worth in excess of $15 million.

Headworks dispensations can also be awarded on a case by case basis.

There is a call for more headworks charge discounts or even axing the fees to get some projects moving.

The council is to host an open meeting next week to hear from the industry about ways to stimulate new home building with attendance expected to be high.

It could just be the start of a vital revival. Nick Dalton nick.dalton@news.com.au