Cash plan to lift CBD

OWNERS of derelict buildings in Townsville CBD could be given cash incentives to clean up their properties.

Townsville City Council is currently mapping out an expanded development incentive scheme which could include concessions for new developments and grants or infrastructure charge discounts to owners of scruffy buildings in need of a spruce up.

TOWNSVILLE City Council is considering providing grants to owners who refurbish derelict buildings in the CBD as well as infrastructure charges concessions for new development.

The plan is part of an expanded development incentive scheme now being discussed and comes as office vacancies in the CBD have trended higher to about 30 per cent.

It follows similar programs including the 2015-2018 Townsville Jobs and Investment Package, which ended last July.

Deputy Mayor Les Walker said the council was committed to re-energising development incentives to provide a stimulus for new investment and jobs.

“Since 2011 the CBD incentives packages have supported $184 million in projects, creating a major economic stimulus,” Cr Walker said.

“With the input of industry, we want to launch another package that provides renewed impetus for projects and jobs.”

He said details of the package were being developed with representatives of the development industry and a workshop was being held this week.

“Once the plan is finalised it will come to council for formal adoption,” Cr Walker said. “The threeyear CBD Utilities Upgrade has also ensured basic underground infrastructure such as water and sewerage is in place to support the next 30 years of growth and that too will be crucial for new projects.”

The Townsville Jobs and Investment Package provided 100 per cent concessions on infrastructure charges as well as 100 per cent concessions on rates and utility charges during construction. It applied to projects undertaken in a defined inner-city area including the Breakwater precinct and Palmer St.

General manager of the council’s Future Cities branch Brett Brogan said it may be that the previous package had served its purpose and that the council should look at the current context of the CBD.

Property consultants such as Herron Todd White assess the vacancy rate for offices in the CBD is around 30 per cent, and higher – around 50 per cent – for older buildings in poor condition.

Mr Brogan said the council was considering a scheme that encouraged the repurposing of vacant commercial space as well as providing incentives for new development.

“For significant new buildings, the infrastructure charges (waiver) is still on the table,” Mr Brogan said.

“But for buildings being refurbished that could be a situation of cash payments on a matching basis to incentivise them to get the work under way.”

The council had committed $650,000 to the new package as part of its 2019-20 budget.