Unit proposal spike across Toowoomba

Nine proposals submitted last week

‘‘ IT HAS SURPRISED ME, AND I DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT’S INFLUENCING IT. CR CHRIS TAIT

THE Toowoomba Regional Council has been taken aback by a spike in units proposed across the city, with plans for more than 40 new dwellings put forward by developers.

Nine applications were put forward from November 26-30 for units spread across Toowoomba, including proposals in East Toowoomba, Centenary Heights, South Toowoomba and Wilsonton.

Just 10 units were submitted to the TRC between September 24 and October 26, and the council approved just over 20 dwellings from nine proposals during September.

The sharp uptake surprised planning and development chair Cr Chris Tait, who said the move could suggest either strong confidence in the Toowoomba market, or developers wanting to speed through projects before the Christmas break.

“It could be more economic activity, or it could be people trying trying to clean up projects that are sitting there,” he said.

“It could be market confidence, because there are a lot of positive things coming through about Toowoomba’s economic position.

“At the present time, we have low vacancy rates, and there could be a correlation of people wanting to take advantage of that.

“It has surprised me, and I don’t know exactly what’s influencing it.”

Unit proposals and approvals in Toowoomba haven’t increased greatly since a massive influx in 2014, when developers were incentivised by the TRC and the previous State Government to increase urban density where infrastructure was available.

LJ Hooker’s head of operations Jeremy Lewis suspected the figure was reflective of Toowoomba’s changing population and workforce.

“Multi-unit dwellings are becoming a lot more acceptable and achievable, because the way that people in Toowoomba are living is changing,” he said.

“Buyers are looking at units as opportunities, and developers are picking up on that.

“The quality of the build (of units) is becoming a lot more sophisticated.”