Working on a new scheme

TRC signs MOU with developer body

‘‘ THE UDIA IS GOING TO BECOME AN IMPORTANT REFERENCE POINT GOING FORWARD.

PAUL ANTONIO

MAYOR Paul Antonio says the Toowoomba Regional Council is committed to creating a new planning scheme with the help of the body behind the $1.6 billion local development industry.

The council signed a memorandum of understanding with the Toowoomba branch of the Urban Development Institute of Australia last week, with the goal of communicating better on a new planning document.

Cr Antonio said the written agreement solidified what he has described as an “opendoor” policy between the council and the UDIA in the past.

“We’ve been talking about them for 12 months – we’re always available to the UDIA, and I think over the years there’s been a particularly good relationship,” he said.

“They’re going to become an important reference point going forward.”

According to statistics from the UDIA, the development industry created more than 5400 jobs for the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley regions in 2016.

Toowoomba branch president Stephen Bowers welcomed the relationship.

“The local development industry is the region’s fifth largest employer and contributed $1.6 billion to gross regional product last year,” he said.

“We look forward to working with council to create diverse and vibrant communities.”

A joint working committee will be established between the council and the Toowoomba branch of the UDIA.